


Underground Affair

by sethra2000



Category: The Professionals
Genre: Case Fic, F/M, Gen, get over it this was the first thing I ever wrote, possible mary Sue...
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-08
Updated: 2012-07-08
Packaged: 2017-11-09 10:19:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 39,691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/454390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sethra2000/pseuds/sethra2000
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A Bombing in the London Underground has Bodie and Doyle on the case.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. 12:15pm 17th February

12:15pm 17th February

The Capri came to a fishtailing halt, tyres squealing and horns sounding from the following vehicles. The ground ceased shuddering and the tail end of a bass rumble echoed off the high rises. Doyle looked back through the rear window as a cloud of smoke and debris billowed out of the underground entrance they had just passed. He looked back at his partner, Bodie’s face was impassive, but his eyes mirrored the horror and anger that he was sure was showing on his own face.

“You call it in. I’ll go down, see what I can do”. said Doyle exiting the car and running back towards the entrance.

“Right.” Bodie answered his voice calm in the face of such chaos, “3/7 to base, we have an explosion at the Harley St. entrance to the underground. Send emergency services. 4/5 has gone in to render assistance and I’m following, 3/7 out.”

“Roger that 3/7. Base copies, will comply. Base out”.

Slipping the RT. back into his jacket Bodie exited the car and followed his partner. By now panic had gripped the public and people were standing in dazed shock, crying or screaming hysterically, and for a second Bodie was back in Ireland serving in the SAS. Only that time, the bomb had gone off in a crowded supermarket. Shaking his head fiercely to dispel the clamouring memories he yanked a large bandanna from his jeans pocket and covered his mouth and nose before descending into the smoke filled gloom.

“Ray” he called, stepping gingerly around scattered debris and bodies, trying to ignore them knowing Doyle would have checked them first.

“Ray where are you. Have you found anyone yet”.

“Over here” came the reply from his left, followed by a coughing fit.

“Keep talking, I’ll follow your voice” eyes burning in the acrid smoke Bodie picked his way forward.

“OK. Not to far, I think I’ve found a live one!”

A diffuse circle of light caught Bodie’s eye and he made his way towards it. He found Doyle crouching beside four bodies, thankful that he could see few details in the gloom. Not that he needed to see, his cursed memory supplied enough graphic images from long years past to render the dark useless. One of the bodies had been rolled aside to reveal another underneath, Doyle was checking for a pulse.

“She’s still alive. All that blood must be his” Doyle said gesturing towards the man he had moved aside.  
Just then the woman moaned and opened her eyes, then proceeded to cough violently.

“Take it easy love” Bodie soothed as he crouched opposite Doyle and used his bandanna to remove some of the blood from her face. “We’ll have you out soon. Just got to make sure we can move you.”

Doyle began a cursory check for broken bones and internal injuries, his ministrations eliciting no response from the woman until he reached her right arm.

“I think she’s OK to move. Be careful when you pick her up, her right arm is badly hurt but I don’t think it’s broken. I’ll guide you out with the torch”

Bodie nodded. Sliding his arms beneath shoulders and knees, he lifted her with effortless strength. Stepping carefully to avoid tripping, and trying not to cough in the smoke filled air, he followed Doyle’s back and the faint circle of light in front of him.

They were met halfway up the stairs by firemen in breathing gear, and Doyle realised that the whole thing had only taken 10 minutes from when he had heard the explosion until now. It had seemed an eternity.

One of the firemen tried to take the woman from Bodie, but she locked her arms around his neck and would not let go.

“It’s alright mate.” Bodie said “I’ll take her the rest of the way. She’s not in a bad way, and most of that blood is someone else’s”.

The fireman nodded and followed on after his crew mates.

Reaching the top of the stairs they were met by an ambulance crew, and Bodie tried to deposit the girl onto a gurney, but again she would not let go. One of the medics injected something into her arm and slowly her grip loosened.

“Sedative” was all he said by way of explanation before rushing her to a waiting ambulance. Doyle followed along behind, giving a brief report on the girls condition to the man’s partner. Bodie stayed put surveying the now organised chaos. The uniforms had crowd control underway, and the fire crews had started removing the dead and wounded.

He was back in Ireland again, standing in what was left of the shopping mall. Mangled bodies all around him, the tang of blood, surrounded by the wail of sirens and the moans and screams of the wounded filling his ears. A touch on his arm made him jump he turned to meet the green eyes of his partner, filled with concern.

“You allrignt mate?”

“Yeah. Just brings back some memories I’d rather not remember”.

Doyle nodded understanding.

“Look you need a change and so do I, and you can bet the Cow is going to want in on this one bad, so...” He was interrupted by a beep from his pocket, pulling out his RT. he acknowledged the call. “4/5 over”

“Base here 4/5. Alpha wants you to report ASAP” The woman’s voice on the other end sounded shaken. “Is it bad Ray?”

“It’s bad enough Beth” Doyle replied. “Tell Alpha we’ll be in as soon as we can. The traffic is bad, we might have to detour, that’s if we can get our car out. Over”

“Roger that 4/5. I’ll see what I can do about a police escort to clear the roads”.

“Roger that base”. there was a pause on the other end.

“That police escort is arranged 4/5, base out”.

No sooner had Beth signed off than a young police officer approached diffidently.

“Sir your escort has been arranged”.

You had to hand it to Beth she was the best you could have in a crisis.

“Sure ki.... “ he had been about to address the young officer as kid and stopped just in time. God had he ever been that young? He couldn’t remember.

“ Sure. It’s the silver Capri, over there” he said pointing in the direction of their car.

“Right Sir. We’ll start moving traffic now. We have to anyway you see, it’s blocking the way for the emergency vehicles... “ the officer trailed off, realising he was babbling and flushed with embarrassment. Doyle felt sorry for him and squeezed his shoulder “ First one?” he questioned.

A nod from the young officer

“It’s OK mate” he said giving him a sympathetic smile

“Do you ever get used to it?”

“No mate” came the unreasuring reply  
“Oh” the young officer looked at him then turned to leave. Doyle stopped him.

“It does get easier, but only a little. I don’t think you should ‘get used to it’ “

The young man nodded understanding, and Doyle let him go. He turned and found his partners blue eyes staring at him.

“I don’t remember ever being that young” Bodie mused

“Have you taken up mind reading as a hobby or something” Doyle snapped

“Huh?” came the puzzled reply

“Never mind. The Cow wants us back ASAP, incase you missed that. They’re organising a police escort to get us back to HQ.”

Bodie grunted acknowledgment and followed Doyle back to their car, where they sat and waited for the traffic to be cleared in front of them.

 

Cowley paced his office impatiently, cursing the delay but knowing that Bodie and Doyle were moving as fast as they could. His thoughts were interrupted by a knock, he turned to the door. “Come in”.

A young woman entered carrying a plain brown folder. “Preliminary casualty list Sir” she said extending the folder towards him. Cowley looked at it with obvious distaste. This was one aspect of his job he could do without. A list of names, each one representing many shattered lives, and each time he dreaded the inevitable day when he would know someone on that list.

Betty gave him a sympathetic look which he acknowledged with a nod as he took the folder from her. She quietly left the office, closing the door behind her. Cowley gazed at the innocuous folder for a full 2 minutes before opening it. His eyes scanned down the list, names and ages but no faces. Then a name leaped out at him from the page and a chill followed by a hot rage seared through him. Michael O’Brian! Then the name under that. Elizabeth too! and Colleen? No she was listed as a survivor. Dear God Colleen! He had known her since she was a wee lass.

Colleen. He would have to break the news, if she did not already know. He could also make the funeral arrangements, he could spare her that much pain.

 

His dark thoughts were interrupted by another knock at the door. “Come”

Betty opened the door “Bodie and Doyle Sir”

“Good, send them in please. Oh and please look up the number of John Porter, he’s a lawyer with Tanfield and Porter, and hold all calls”

“Very good Sir” Beth replied and waved Bodie and Doyle into the office. Cowley looked up as the two men entered. The first thing he noticed was the blood on Bodies shirt, and the iron tang in the air. Doyle also had blood on his clothes, though they had both obviously made an effort to clean themselves up. Without preamble he handed the file to Doyle.

“Preliminary casualty list”

Doyle took the folder and scanned through the names, wincing when he reached a group of children on the list.

“Kids for Godsake. Do they think killing kids will gain sympathy for their cause” Doyle exploded, almost throwing the folder at Bodie.

Bodie caught the file and started to read through dispassionately. “They don’t do it to gain sympathy” he replied in an equally dispassionate voice “That’s why it’s called Terrorism”

Doyle swung around about to comment on Bodie’s exceeding bad taste. Blue eyes met green and Doyle bit back his comment as he saw the echo of his own anger and abhorrence reflected there.

Watching the by-play with little amusement, Cowley decided to intervene.

“I want these people!” the hard edge in his voice told both Bodie and Doyle that the Old man was taking this one personally.

“As of now you are reassigned to this case. Bodyguard duty. One of the survivors is a possible witness. She has yet to make a formal statement.”

Cowley handed Doyle a photo of the woman. ”I have the unfortunate task of informing her that both her parents were killed in the blast”

“Sir?” the both questioned together.

“Yes. Colleen O’Brian, the daughter of an old friend of mine. Michael O’Brian’s...... “ Cowley broke off, catching a change of expression on Bodie’s face.

“Not Sgt. Mgr. O’Brian Sir?” Bodie asked, a disbelieving tone in his voice.

“Yes. Why, did you know him?”

“No Sir, not personally. He was well known in the SAS when I served. I guess you could say he was a legend, I served in his old regiment, Sir”

“I’m sorry Bodie” Cowley said knowing sympathy would not be accepted.

Doyle kept any comments to himself.

Doyle looked at the photo again, carefully, the face looked familiar “Sir. this looks like the woman we pulled out”. He handed the photo over to Bodie, who glanced at it.

“That’s her all right. Nice looking Bird too”

Cowley gave him that look “You keep your hands to yourself Bodie, that is my Goddaughter you’re talking about!”

Bodie looked sheepish but made no reply

Cowley held his gaze a few seconds longer, then let the matter drop.

Doyle, on the other hand gave Bodie his usual are-you-nuts-or-something look.

“You two can get yourselves cleaned up. Meet me outside at my car” Cowley said by way of a dismissal.   
The two turned and filed from the office, neither wishing to speak.

15 minutes later, showered and changed, they met Cowley outside at his car.

“Bodie, you’re with me. Doyle, you ready the Alpha Prime safe house. When she has been discharged I want her moved straight there.”

“Sir” came the simultaneous reply.

Bodie threw the keys to the Capri to Doyle and turned to Cowley’s driver, hand held out for the keys. “I’ll take it from here Sunshine”

The driver looked to Cowley and received a curt nod, with a resigned sigh he handed over the keys, everyone in CI5 new how protective Bodie and Doyle were of the Old Man.

Bodie saw Cowley into the car, and as he crossed to the drivers side yelled to Doyle’s retreating back “Don’t forget the beer”

Doyle waved acknowledgment without looking back. As Bodie settled into the drivers seat a comment came from the back. “The beer Bodie?”

“The beer Sir. I’m not babysitting without it.” came the reply

Cowley smiled to himself, satisfied that his boys were back on track. There would be time enough for mourning and dealing with it. Right now he needed them to be focused on the job. Many outside the business would probably find such humour in bad taste, and admittedly in his opinion Bodie went to far sometimes, but in this line of business it was a necessary means of self defence. It was a mark of how close Bodie and Doyle were that Doyle rarely took offence at Bodie’s seemingly out of place jokes.

 

Conversation was sparse on the way to the Hospital, on arrival they found that a security check point had been set up at the entrance.

A young army officer waved their car to a stop, Cowley wound down his window.

“Identification please Sir”

“Cowley CI5” he replied, flashing his ID to the young Private.

After a quick glance the soldier snapped a salute and gestured for his partner to remove the barricade.

Bodie expertly manuvered the car through the slow moving traffic, following an ambulance to the A&E entrance.

“Stop Here” said Cowley

“Sir?”

“I’ll get out here, you park the car and wait for me”.

“Sir” was the only reply, Bodie got the message, Cowley wanted some time alone with Colleen. He pulled over to the kerb and Cowley exited the car. At the sound of the door shutting Bodie pulled back out onto the road and proceeded to find a park not to far from the entrance. After manuvering the car into a parallel space, Bodie decided to have a cigarette. Lighting up he turned on the car radio. The mellow tones of a clarinet floated up from the speakers. Bodie grimaced, he was not in the mood for mellow, and punched buttons until he found a more up beat sound.

 

Cowley walked into the semi-organised chaos that was the A&E admitting area, the noise hitting him like a physical blow. Casualties were still coming in, the noise of doctors, nurses and ambulance crews dashing about, all mixed in with the cries of the wounded and the anguish of relatives.

Approaching reception and the harried looking woman unfortunate enough to be on duty, he waited behind a distraught woman asking about her husband.

“Please. His name is Ben, Benjamin Kane. He said he was going to be on that train, and I haven’t heard from him yet. Please, you must tell me if he’s alright”.

“I’m sorry Mame but I can’t tell you. We haven’t received any more names yet. As soon as I hear anything I promise I’ll tell you”.

Cowley guessed that she had made that same promise many times today. The woman seemed about to protest when a police officer came to the receptionists rescue.

“Mrs. Kane was it?” he questioned, taking the woman gently by the arm.

“Yes”

“Well, you come with me and we’ll see what we can find out.” he proceeded to lead the woman away.

The receptionist threw the policeman a grateful look behind the woman’s back, which he returned with a wink.

The receptionist looked back in his direction but Cowley was sure she was not really seeing him.

“Name please”

“Cowley. George Cowley”

“I’m sorry. I don’t recall that name being on any of the lists”

“That’s because I am here to see Colleen O’Brian” Cowley replied impatience entering his voice.

Confusion clouded the receptionists face, then cleared as comprehension dawned.

“Oh you’re George Cowley. I’m sorry. It’s just that before this happened I’d just pulled a double shift, well I couldn’t very well go home in the middle of all the chaos could I, and, well you see I’m afraid my brain isn’t keeping up any more” she coloured realising that she was babbling.

“That’s quite alright lass” Cowley replied in a less impatient tone, a little angry with himself for being so hard on her.

“Yes. Well. Let me see. O’Brian .... O’Brian, O’Brian, Colleen. Yes here she is. She’s in ward 12 room 7. It’s a private room.”

“Thank you”

“Your welcome” she replied, a smile lighting up her face.

 

Cowley made his way over to the lift. He entered and punched the button for the required floor. Exiting the lift and glancing quickly to the left and right, he recognised the man on guard duty.

“ Murphy, how is she doing?” asked Cowley sharply

“ As well as can be expected sir. She’s in pretty rough shape.” said Murphy softly

“Yes, well that’s what I’m here for.” he said a little more sharply than he meant. It was the last place he wanted to be and for the worst reason.

“Oh.” said Murphy promptly shutting up.

Cowley quietly opened the door and stood with a wealth of pained regret in the usually cool eyes. The young woman lying in the hospital bed seemed so much older than he remembered, nothing like the picture he had last seen of her, that laughing smiling face full of youthful exuberance. What a wealth of dreams and hope had been in those eyes.

Her face was bruised and pale the entire right side of her face covered by a dressing and her left arm was heavily bandaged. Cowley had been prepared for that. What really appalled him was the fact that she looked so frail, as though she had aged ten years.

As if she had sensed his presence in the room, her head turned in his direction. recognition was slow to come. But then she hadn’t seen him for some years. Not since she had been a young lass of 13 or 14. All of a sudden Cowley felt old and tired, so very tired and oh it hurt so much seeing her like this. His little pixie, he used to call her as pretty and unpredictable as one too. She had always wrapped him around her little finger so easily, as easily as a smile.

“ Uncle George?” came the hesitant question and the look of resigned pain and dread in her eyes nearly broke his heart! she knew, ah she always had been quick off the mark his little pixie.

“ Aye lass, the very same.” he said very quietly as he crossed the room and came to sit by the bed. He took her hand, gently squeezing the fingers comfortingly. Her eyes had the blank look of a shock victim, that dazed punched look he knew so well.

“ Their dead, aren’t they Uncle George. I’m not stupid. When no one will tell you anything, It’s usually because they don’t want to tell you the worst!” said Colleen numbly

“ Aye lass, I’m afraid they’re both gone. I know it’s not much consolation but neither of them suffered , it was instantaneous. .!” said Cowley very softly. He had done this duty so many times but it never got any easier oh no, it never did!

Colleen squeezed his hand in gratitude, it did help a little. the thought of them lingering in slow agony would have been unbearable. Then the calm of shock broke as the finality of what he had said hit home viciously; they were gone, she would never see them again. It seemed incomprehensible to her that her life would simply go on without them! Hot tears came with quiet sobs. Cowley sat offering silent support, knowing that even sincerely meant words were never appreciated at times like this. The storm passed and she let go of his hand to wipe her face. With a flourish Cowley presented her with a large white kerchief, the Knight comforting the damsel in distress. He was rewarded by a tentative smile that did much to banish the shadow in her eyes. She had always been particularly fond of those type of fairy tales, and she had badgered him relentlessly as a small girl to read them to her. He had never been able to resist her for long. Colleen had always had an irresistibly winsome smile and it heartened him to see even its shadow again.

“You remembered” she said after making use of the proffered handkerchief.

“Aye. One does not forget being wrapped around a small pixie of a girls wee finger” he replied smiling.

She smiled again at the use of his nickname for her “Pixie. It’s a long time since I’ve heard that. Thankyou Uncle George. I’m glad it was you who told me, even though I already new”

“Aye lass, I’m going to miss him too. I spoke to your Father on the phone only three weeks ago, we had arranged to meet at the club whilst he and Elizabeth were in London with you.”  
“I seem to remember him mentioning something about that”

“Look lass. I know this will be hard for you, but I have also come in my capacity as head of CI5. I have to ask you to make a formal statement about what you saw while it is still fresh in your memory. I am also placing you in protective custody. Your status as a witness is bound to have been compromised by now, what with all the reporters bailing up anyone who will talk. Someone is certain to have let that sort of news slip. There will be a round the clock watch on your room, until you can be discharged and we can move you to a safe house.”

“Is all that really necessary?” Colleen asked in a shocked voice

“I’m afraid so lass. The IRA has claimed responsibility, the proper recognition codes have been given. I have instituted a media blackout but I cannot stop people talking to other people. Therefore we can be sure that they will know that there is a witness by now. It won’t take them long to find out your name, and when they have that they will come looking for you.”

“But what if what I saw has nothing to do with them”.

“The fact that you might have seen something is enough to condemn you. They will not take the chance that you can identify even one of them”

“Oh damn. I should have kept my mouth shut then. If I hadn’t babbled to that ambulance man I wouldn’t be in this mess”

“Och lass, in the state you were in you cannot blame yourself”

“You’re just saying that”

“No I’m not. You have enough to worry about without beating yourself up about that. So I’ll have no more said on the matter. Is that clear” he asked, putting a mock sternness in his voice.

“Yes Sir” Colleen said meekly

“I have also taken the liberty of contacting your fathers lawyer to make funeral arrangements. I hope you don’t mind, but under the circumstances I felt I could spare you the task”.

Colleen sniffed “Thankyou Uncle George. I truly don’t think I could have faced that just now”.  
“Aye, but I’m afraid you’ll have to face remembering. I need your statement now while events are still fresh in your mind”.

“I’ll do my best, but things are a little fuzzy. Must have been the bump on the head”.

“Well just try to remember as much as you possibly can. I’m going to record your statement for evidential purposes” reaching into his coat pocket he produced a small hand held recorder, about the size of a small bible.

“That’s a new one. I’ve never seen one of those before?”

“New technology. One of the advantages of being a government agency is you get first look at the best of the new stuff” positioning the recorder on the side of the bed he activated it.

“Statement by witness to underground bombing. witness is unnamed for security reasons. Date September 15th. Time 1:15pm. Now, in your own words and in your own time, I want you to describe everything you can remember no matter how unimportant you think it might be. Just speak in a normal tone of voice and the recorder will pick it up”.

“Right. Well. Um. Well it was about 11:45 when I arrived at the station. I had been staying in London a couple of days, you know, catching up on old friends and things. Well anyway, uh, mum and dad had insisted that they would come out to meet me. I guess they still think ..... thought of me” the correction came through gritted teeth “as a little girl. Well they’d said they were coming in on the 12 o’clock train. Well I’d decided to do a bit of sight seeing. You know, renew that sense of home, look in on old haunts. So I arrived about 15 minutes early and sat down to wait. I’d just started to read the book I’d brought with me, I always carry a book you never know when you might need one. Well anyway, I’d just started to read when I heard this commotion down the platform a short ways. A young man was being dragged away from a young woman by an older man. The young guy was yelling something like ‘you don’t have to do this’. She must have said something in return because he stopped struggling, although the other man did not let him go”.

“Do you think you could identify them if you saw them again?” Cowley interrupted.

“Well. The young man yes, and the girl. But the other man I didn’t get a good look at him, he was behind the other guy”.

“That will be enough. If you can identify the young man then we have a start. Do continue”

“Well, I didn’t think much of it at the time. Just one of those things, you know, maybe his girl was breaking up with him or something. I don’t know why it seems important now, but after the explosion after I’d been rescued it just seemed to click into place. Like a hunch or something. Do you know what I mean?”

“Yes I do. It’s what makes a good operative. The mind is a good recorder of all that the eye sees and the ear hears. Unconsciously the mind may put all these things together and make an intuitive leap to an answer, therefore we may not understand where the answer has come from”.

“Yes! that’s it exactly. I recall things now about the way the woman acted. She seemed very nervous, but not for the obvious reason of expecting trouble from her boyfriend. he and the other man were long gone if the way he had been dragged away was any indication. She also kept this box very close to her, always reaching out as if to assure herself it was still there. It struck me as odd at the time for some reason, but the train arrived soon after. I could see them getting off the train near where the girl was sitting. I remember her getting up to walk away, which was strange because she left that parcel behind which she had been so worried about loosing. Then all I remember is this bright light and a loud noise. Then I woke up with this man leaning over me and blood all over my face.”

Colleen started to shake again, tears streaming down her face. Cowley reached over to the recorder and switched it off.

“I remember being carried out into the daylight, then nothing again until I woke up here”

“That would have been Doyle and Bodie, two of my boys. They were nearby when the explosion happened, they pulled you out. I think we can leave it at that for now. Events leading up to the explosion are all we are interested in at present. I’ll speak with the doctor and see when we can move you to the safe house. I’ll also arrange for one of my people to come down here with the mugshot books, see if you can pick this young man out of any of them. It’s a slim chance but we have to try it. You could try for the woman as well.”

Colleen nodded, sniffing again. Cowley gave her an encouraging smile and exited the room, closing the door and leaving her to her grief in private.

Making his way to the duty station he nodded to Murphy on the way past.

“Excuse me Sister. Could I please speak with Miss O’Brian’s Doctor? I need to know when she can be discharged”

“Oh, and who might you be?” the Sister asked, with a nurses disdain for any who dared intrude upon their ordered domain.

“Cowley, Head of CI5” he replied shortly, unused to being addressed in such fashion.

“Very well” the woman seemed unimpressed with his answer, but she did page the Doctor.

A young man in an open lab coat arrived in a hurry about 10 minutes later.

“Hi. Look I’m sorry I took so long, but I was in the middle of looking in on several of the other victims. I’m a trauma specialist you see and this is right up my alley, so to speak. Now, about Miss O’Brian. Afraid you wont be able to move her today. Concussion you see. Bad blow to the right side of the head. Probably contact with the platform when she fell. So, anyway can’t move her today. In overnight for observation. Tomorrow afternoon at the earliest I’m afraid”

“Doctor .... ?” Cowley asked, extending his hand

“Hmm?. Oh. Sorry. Cray” he replied taking Cowley’s hand and shaking it firmly.

“Yes. Doctor Cray. You’re quite sure I cannot move her today?. Miss O’Brian’s safety is in jeopardy every minute she is left in the open!”

“Quite sure Mr Cowley. Concussion is a nasty business, can have delayed effects.’

“Very well Doctor, I shall take your advice” Cowley replied, somewhat reluctantly, “However, I do hope you wont object to my placing extra security in and around the room?”

“Not at all Mr Cowley. Just as long as they don’t interfere with hospital routine” this last was said with a quick glance at the nearby Sister.

“Rest assured Dr Cray, my men will only interfere if they feel Miss O’Brian’s safety is in danger” Cowley replied, loud enough for the nurse to hear.

A disdainful sniff could be heard in reply.

“I can’t ask for more than that I suppose.” Dr Grey replied with a grim and a small nod in the direction of the nurse.

“Well, goodbye Mr Cowley, I’ll keep you posted if there are any problems with Miss O’Brian’s condition.” he finished as he turned to leave. He hesitated, turning back to Cowley his eyes taking on an angry sparkle “Get the bastards Mr Cowley. People who inflict this sort of carnage on anyone or anything deserve to be stood up against a wall and shot, and you can quote me on that!”

“We will get them Dr Cray. They, are at the top of my priority list, and they will pay!” Cowley replied, silently agreeing with the doctors sentiments and wondering if he could arrange just such a fate for them.

The doctor held his gaze, then nodded once and left.

Returning to the private room, Cowley addressed the man standing at the door, “Murphy, please contact Bodie and tell him to pick me up. Then get onto Susan and have her come down here with the mugshot books on all known IRA Terrorists. We need to get a quick ID out on these people. I want them found before they come after Miss O’Brian.”

“Sir” Murphy acknowledged and proceeded to carry out Cowley’s orders.

Knowing everything would be taken care of Cowley went back into Colleen’s room.

“Colleen, I have to leave now. Susan, one of my people, will be here soon with the mugshot books. She will also stay the night with you in the room as added security.”

“OK Uncle George” she replied, yawning hugely, “Oh excuse me, I’m feeling so tired”

“That’s not suprising with all you’ve been through today. I’ll go now and leave you to get some sleep” his words fell on deaf ears, Colleen was already asleep. Closing the door quietly Cowley turned to Murphy

“Tell Susan when she gets here, that she will be staying the night in Miss O’Brian’s room as added security”

“Yes Sir”

“Bodie should be here by now. I’ll be at the office if there are any progress reports on the identification of the Terrorists.”

“I’ll notify you immediately Sir” replied Murphy

Cowley acknowledged Murphy’s reply with a nod, then turned and made his way back to the entrance where he spotted Bodie standing by the back passenger door of the car. The chaos around the hospital didn’t seem to have abated noticeably.

“Back to the office Bodie, I want to be there when the reports start to come through”

“Right Sir” Bodie answered, opening the door

Shutting the door behind Cowley, he returned to the drivers side and got into the car. Glancing at Cowley in the rear view mirror, “Message came in on the radio about five minutes ago Sir, the death toll has gone up. Three of the serious cases have died.” he reported, hating to be the bearer of bad news

Cowley said nothing for a few minutes, his face had gone cold and forbidding, then he caught Bodie’s eye in the mirror “The office Bodie, and quickly” was all he said before sitting back in the seat to brood.

Bodie started the engine, finding a gap in the traffic he manuvered the car onto the road. It was along silent drive back to CI5 Head Quarters, with Bodie unwilling to interrupt his superiors thoughts.

A loud “Sir!” caught his attention, pulling his mind away from it’s dark thoughts. He looked around, forgetting for a second where he was and saw Bodie standing with the door open a concerned look on his face.

“Find out where Doyle is and join him, you two are in charge of Miss O’Brian’s security. I want it air tight, no better than air tight” he ordered, acknowledging Bodie’s concern with a look before entering the office building.

Bodie returned the car to the pool, before going to his own. Swinging in to the drivers seat, he picked up the radio mike’.

“3/7 to Base. Patch me through to 4/5 please. Over”

“Roger 3/7, hold please. Through now. Base out.”

“4/5 here, over”

“Our illustrious leader has instructed that I join you, are you at the house”

“Is that so. Yes I’m still at the house. Williams’ and Jax are setting up security. So I guess that leaves you with shopping detail. And don’t you forget the beer. Over”

“Shopping! Thanks allot” Bodie replied in an aggrieved tone, Doyle wriggles his way out of the dirty work again.

“You’re most welcome. 4/5 out” 

As he pulled out of the driveway Bodie toyed with the idea of buying nothing but junk food by way of revenge, then discarded it. Doyle would probably make some snide remark about cholesterol and life expectancy and go out and get something for himself, all the fun would be lost.

Doyle chuckled to himself, if there was one thing Bodie hated doing it was shopping. Which was why when he wasn’t eating out, he was round at Doyle’s place for dinner.

“What’s so funny?” 

Doyle turned to find Williams coming up behind him “I’ve sent Bodie to do the shopping”

Williams winced “Are you sure that’s wise, I’ve seen what passes for food in his eyes”

“Relax, we can always send him out again with a list, besides he’s not that bad”

“Ha. Just don’t come to me when there’s nothing for you to eat” Williams replied continuing on inside. “Oh, Jax is finishing up on the east perimeter” he added without turning.

Doyle grunted and finished checking the alarm panel before following Williams inside.

The spacious Victorian style house was two storeyed, situated on large walled grounds.

Despite appearances to the contrary it was heavily alarmed, with closed circuit TV and motion sensors, very little could get in without tripping at least one of the many defences.

Everything was ship shape and had been checked out personally by one of the operatives.

Susan finally found a park, miracles do happen, she mused to herself as she locked the door. Hefting the heavy suitcase, and making it look lighter than it was, she made her way straight to Colleen’s room.

Approaching Colleen’s private room she smiled at Murphy and winked at the admiring young soldier on the other side of the door, who proceeded to blush nicely. This got a grin from Murphy, who winked back as he stood and opened the door for her

Stepping into the darkened room she glanced at the young woman lying in the bed. It was obvious that she was asleep. Loath to wake her Susan placed the case quietly at the foot of the bed and sat in the guest chair. She glanced up and saw Murphy still there with the door open. “I’ll give her another ten minutes, if she’s not awake by then I’ll wake her myself” she said quietly.

“It’s your call, but Cowley said they needed those Id’s ASAP” he replied

“And she looks like she could use the rest” Susan stated  
Murphy just shrugged and closed the door

“She’s a black belt?” she heard the young soldier say before the door was shut, and wondered what Murphy had been telling him. She’d have to hit him up, literally, and find out. Murphy was only slightly better than Bodie where women were concerned. She sighed, she’d just have to keep trying to teach them all manners.

Settling back down in the chair she glanced at the wall clock, the glowing numbers reading 5:45, give her till six she thought.

The minutes passed with only the ticking of the wall clock, and echoes from the corridor outside, to disturb the quiet. Susan was jerked out of her dose by a tormented cry from the woman in the bed, a quick sweep of the room showed no intruders. Seconds later the door burst open and Murphy entered gun drawn.

“What’s up?” he snapped looking at Colleen.

A stream of semi intelligible words was issuing from Colleen and she was waving her bandaged arm about.

“She’s having a nightmare” Susan replied trying to keep Colleen from banging the injured limb on anything, without doing further damage herself. “Go get the nurse”

Murphy nodded and reholstering his gun left the room, closing the door behind him.

“Colleen. Colleen honey wake up, you’re having a bad dream” she crooned, shaking Colleen gently.

Colleen’s eyes snapped open, unfocused they stared out at an invisible world, her body went rigid.

“Colleen, can you hear me?” Susan asked

Dull eyes turned towards the sound of her voice, then as if released from her torment Colleen sagged against Susan and great raking sobs were torn from her.

“God their gone. Why?” Colleen kept repeating between gasps for breath

“Easy baby. It’s Ok” Susan soothed, stroking Colleens hair, unable to look into the eyes pleading for answers she could not give.

Just then the door opened and a white uniformed nurse entered “What seems to be the matter here?” she asked in a calm voice

“She’s had a nightmare Sister” Susan explained whilst trying to disengage Colleen’s arms from around her neck. Seeing the difficulty Susan was having the nurse reached into her apron pocket pulled out a syringe, and administered a shot to Colleen’s arm. Gradually the vice like grip around her neck loosened and Susan gently layed Colleen back on the bed.

“Just a mild muscle relaxant” the nurse explained placing the syringe back in the pocket.

“Are you OK now honey?” the nurse asked, brushing stray hair off Colleen’s face.

“There was blood all over. And I saw them lying there, they kept asking me why. They kept asking me why” Colleen sobbed, clinging to Susan’s hand with an almost painful grip.

Do you want me to give you something to help you sleep?” the nurse asked

“No!” Colleen objected vehemently, “I don’t ever want to sleep again.”

“It’s OK Sister, I’ll stay with her. I’ll be here all night.”  
The nurse looked at Colleen dubiously, then nodded and left the room.

Colleen looked shyly at Susan “Sorry about that. I haven’t had nightmares since I was a child.” she sniffed.

“Don’t mention it. If it were me I’d probably be having nightmares too. Name’s Susan by the way, Mr Cowley sent me down” she replied

“Yes, he told me you’d be coming” Colleen said, reaching for a box of tissues and blowing her nose. “I suppose you want me to look at some pictures?”

“If you’re up to it?”

“I think so. Uncle George will need them pretty quickly I guess”

“Uncle George?” Susan asked suprise in her voice

“Yes. He’s my Godfather, but I’ve always called him Uncle George. Why?”

“Well, the sly old dog. He never told me you were his Goddaughter. We’ll just have to take extra special care of you then, can’t have anything else happening to the bosses Goddaughter can we.” Susan said with a smile trying to lighten the mood.

Colleen smiled back, appreciating the effort. “I really can’t imagine Uncle George like that, he’s never raised his voice to me ever. But then I haven’t seen him for about eleven years. Maybe he’s changed?”

“I doubt it. George Cowley never changes” Susan replied. “Feeling better?”

“Yes thanks. I’ll look at those pictures now.”

Susan went to the foot of the bed and opened the suitcase, removing one of the heavy books inside she carried it back to the bed and set it on Colleen’s lap.

“Not exactly fun reading, but see how you go. I’ll just sit here, if you spot anyone you think you recognise tell me and I’ll radio it in.”

“OK” Colleen replied, and taking a deep breath opened the book.

Twenty five minutes later Colleen closed the second book, without success, and put her head in her hands, squeezing her temples “I think I’m getting a headache” she stated  
“Just one more to go, do you think you can handle it?” Susan asked with concern

“I’m sure, I’d rather get it over and done with thanks”

Setting the last book on Colleen’s lap, Susan placed a hand on her shoulder, “Don’t feel bad if you don’t find anyone in this one either, it just means that we’ve never caught them before. We’ll have to work of sketches which will be less reliable, but we will get them”

“Thanks” Colleen replied looking up with a smile. “I’ll remember that”

The faces on the pages were becoming a blur, each starting to look the same as the last when recognition caused one to suddenly jump out at her.

Susan caught the catch in Colleen’s breath and looked up from the magazine she had been reading. Colleen was staring fixedly at the page, her breath coming in short gasps. Quickly Susan stood up and removed the book from Colleen’s slack grip, causing her to snap out of her trance. “Are you OK?”

Colleen started at the sound of a voice “Hmm. Oh. Yes. I think so. God I feel so stupid, I’m not normally like this. I don’t fall apart in a crisis. I feel so helpless and lost. I hate feeling like a weepy little school girl, busting into tears at the drop of a hat” She stormed a rising anger colouring her voice. “Damn the bastards that did this to me, hanging would be too good for them”

“Amen to that,” Susan agreed quietly, “and you have every right to feel the way you do. I’m not going to say I know how you feel, because I don’t, but I can say I don’t know if I’d manage much better. You’ve been through something that nobody should have to go through, I’d say you were dealing with it very well. So enough of this being so hard on yourself, or I shall inform Uncle George.” and with that threat hanging over her Colleen could do nothing but agree.

“So can you tell me which one of these photo’s you recognised?” Susan asked

Colleen pointed to a picture of a young man in his mid 20’s with blond hair.

“That’s him. I’m sure of it”

“Right, I’ll call it in.” Susan replied, removing her RT from her bag.

“2/6 to Base, Over”

“Base here 2/6 go ahead”

“We have an ID on one of the bombing suspects. A Terrence Anthony Dunne. Please access all details and pass on to Alpha One immediately. Over”

“Roger 2/6 will do. Base out.”

“2/6 out.” She finished, replacing the RT back in her bag. “They’ll pass that information on to the Boss. I suspect he’ll have every agent he can spare on this case, and probably a few he can’t as well, he’ll probably have the walking wounded doing research in the dungeon. Mr Cowley is taking this case very personally, and not just because of your involvement I think.”

Colleen yawned hugely, covering an embarrassed smile with her hand. “Sorry, that one snuck up on me. I’m tired but I don’t want to go back to sleep, I’ll just have nightmares again.”  
“Well I don’t think you’ll have much choice on that one, if you’re tired you’ll sleep. I don’t think the doctors are going to give you anything to keep you awake.”

“I can always resort to coffee, if I can find any in this place” Colleen speculated.

“I think that martinet of a nursing sister out there will have something to say about that” Susan commented.

“Well you could always say it was for you” Colleen suggested slyly

Susan burst out laughing “I like your style Sis. Ok it’s a deal. Now I’ll just see if I can arrange for something more comfortable than this chair for me to stay in tonight, then I’ll arrange for a nice large pot of coffee”. So saying she took the mug shot book from Colleen and placed it back in the suitcase, then with a conspiratorial wink left to make her arrangements.

Colleen lay back on the bed, trying to ignore the dull throb coming from her wrist. One of the things that had come back to her was the memory of being carried out of the subway, she remembered a vague image of straight black hair, strong arms and a deep reassuring voice. So it had been two of Uncle George’s agents who had found her, and one of them had her intrigued, not to mention interested. Susan would be a good person to start with in getting information about him, she certainly wasn’t going to ask Uncle George. She could just imagine his reaction to that.

The door opened, interrupting Colleen’s thoughts. The end of a hospital bed nosed its way through the doorway pushed by a young orderly, with Susan following behind coffeepot in hand.

“Look’s like I’m going to be more comfortable than I thought. This nice young man here is Jonathan, and he’s found a spare bed in storage for me.” Susan said, flashing him a brilliant smile, which he returned with enthusiasm.

“You’re welcome.” he replied as he positioned the bed next to Colleen’s

“Is there anywhere I can get a pot of coffee around here?” Susan asked 

“Well, I can try the staff kitchen, I think they have some of those portable hotplates for conferences. I might be able to half inch one for you. If you promise to forget I ever said that” replied the orderly

“If anybody asks, I know not from whence it came” Susan replied with a smile of thanks.  
“Right then, I’ll just pick up some bedding for you and then see about that coffee” Jonathan said as he left the room.

“Well you’ve certainly learned how to use that smile of your’s to good effect.” commented Colleen

“It’s self defence”, Susan replied, “Comes from working with the likes of Bodie and Doyle”

“Uncle George told me those were the two that rescued me”

“Yes, I’d heard that. Lucky you” Susan replied

“Tell me about them” Colleen asked

“Those two, Why?”

“Just curious” Colleen replied blandly

“Uhuh” Susan replied, looking at the expression of innocent curiosity on Colleen’s face, and didn’t believe it for a second. ‘Oh no the terrible twins have done it again’ she thought to herself. Oh well, there were some things a girl had to learn on her own, and this was one of them.

“What do you want to know?” Susan asked with a sigh of resignation

“Oh everything” Colleen answered with a large grin on her face, she could tell what Susan was thinking and wasn’t going to deny it.

“Everything!. I guess we have all night, but first I’m going to get changed into something more comfortable, I’m not spending the night in this.” she said indicating her skirt and blouse.

Going to the suitcase she took out a small roll bag and headed out the door. Colleen lay back and stared at the ceiling, trying to ignore the dull throb of pain in her wrist. She had only been allowed a mild painkiller.

two minutes later there was a knock on the door, followed by Jonathan, the orderly who had brought in the bed for Susan. He was carrying a steaming pot of coffee in one hand and a small hotplate in the other, behind him was a young woman in a blue smock carrying a small fold up table.

“Hi, I’ve managed to find a spare hotplate nobody will miss, This is Julia”, he said indicating the young girl, “She’s a friend of mine. Julia has the late shift in the kitchen, she’ll keep the coffee coming.”

Julia moved to the far corner and set up the table, “I’ll be back soon with milk, sugar and cups. I guess the two guys outside might want some as well so I’ll bring 4 up”  
“Thanks allot Julia, it’ll be much appreciated” said Colleen with a smile.

Julia returned the smile and left the room. As Jonathan was plugging in the hotplate Susan returned, she had changed into a pair of sweat pants and t-shirt with white tennis shoes.

She spotted the orderly and exclaimed “Oh you are a life saver, I’ve been dieing for a coffee”

“Julia’s just gone back for the other stuff, she shouldn’t be long. Everything’s set up here, you’ll have to excuse me I have jobs I need to be doing before someone comes looking for me”

“Go right ahead young man, I wouldn’t want to get you in trouble with Attilla the Hun out there, and thanks again for all your help” Susan said, flashing him another of her smiles.  
“You’re welcome. I’ve also arranged for the kitchen to bring up a meal for everyone as well, It’ll be another half an hour.” Jonathan replied as he left.

As Jonathan was leaving Julia returned carrying a tray with mugs and coffee fixings, as Jonathan held the door for her she glanced at the two men standing at the door, “Would you two like a coffee?, there’s plenty here for everyone”

That is the best idea I’ve heard all day” replied Murphy, “Coming?” he asked the young soldier next to him

“Absolutely” came the enthusiastic reply

“I can bring a couple of chairs up from the cafe’ if you’d like, I don’t see why you should have to stand all night” Julia suggested smiling shyly at the young soldier

“I stand corrected, that is the best suggestion I’ve heard all day. If I send this nice young man down with you, he can bring them back for us.” Murphy replied, clapping the young man on the shoulder. Both Julia and the soldier coloured slightly, but neither objected to the suggestion. Julia glanced at the soldier and lead the way out the door, Murphy closing it behind them

Susan, who had been pouring coffee for everyone, handed one to Murphy saying “When did cupid die and who made you his replacement?”

“He hasn’t, and nobody, but I figure he can always use a little help” Murphy replied, an angelic look on his face as he sipped his coffee.  
“Hah!. Out with you, back to your post before I report you for being AWOL” Susan replied making shooing motions with her hands. Murphy flashed a grin at Colleen and retreated out the door

“Are they all like that?” Colleen asked chuckling

Susan rolled her eyes heavenward “You have no idea” she replied, handing Colleen her coffee. “Half the time it’s like working with a bunch of teenagers, but their a good bunch really, you can trust them with your life, and frequently have too.”

After getting her own coffee she settled back down in the chair beside the bed “Now, where was I?”

“You were going to tell me about Bodie and Doyle” Colleen answered

“Oh yes. In that order?” she asked archly

“If you like” Colleen replied, trying to be off-hand whilst blushing slightly.

Susan pretended not to notice. “Right then where to start .... ?”

Doyle looked in dispair at the contents of the shopping bags on the kitchen table, regretting having ever sent Bodie out on his own to shop. Oh well, he would just have to go out himself later, or send one of the others out for real food. The one thing you could rely on was that Bodie couldn’t shop to save his life, which is why he ended up at Doyle’s flat for meals most of the time, when he wasn’t eating out. The one thing Doyle hadn’t worked out yet was wether it was deliberate or not, he was convinced that no one could eat that badly on a regular basis and remain as healthy as Bodie was, which lead him to the conclusion that Bodie only did it to annoy him.

The back door opened and Jax came in, “That’s the last of the perimeter alarms checked” he commented as he came up to the table. “You sent Bodie out didn’t you” Jax complained after looking at the shopping on the table, “Just for that you should spend first watch tonight out in the car”

“Ok. Ok. I can take my punishment like the next guy” Doyle said, hands up in surrender, “I figured things might have improved” he stated lamely

Jax fixed him with a look of pity, one usually reserved for people who jay walked in rush hour traffic and complained about being hit by a car.

“From now on I’ll do the shopping around here” Jax stated, tapping his chest for emphasis.  
“Fine by me” Doyle agreed

“What’s fine by you” Bodie asked from where he was leaning against the door frame of the hall entrance

“The staff of this establishment find your choice in groceries leaves allot to be desired” Doyle replied in his best imitation of a posh maitre d’. “and have suggested that you be removed from all further food gathering duties.”

Bodie looked at Doyle as if he’d suddenly sprouted wings and a second head, then with a martyred expression he said “Far be it for me to argue with the majority. I shall take myself to the living room where I shall suffer in silence at this mortal insult!”, then he turned and went back down the hall.

Doyle and Jax looked on in astonishment.

“You know, sometimes I worry about that man. Don’t you?” asked Jax

“You have no idea” Doyle replied with a sigh of resignation

“So who’s going to do dinner tonight?” Jax asked

“Don’t look at me. If I’m going to be spending the night in the car, I’m not cooking. So I guess that leave’s you, Bodie or Williams” Doyle answered.

“Oh no, Bodie is not cooking dinner and neither am I, in fact looking at this lot I don’t even know if I’ll eat dinner here. Besides Williams and I will be spending the night out too you know” Jax stated hotly

“Well, as you have no choice but to eat here, and I agree that Bodie is a bad choice, then I guess that leaves Williams. And those guard huts are a helluva lot more comfortable than a car.” Doyle stated matter of factly, closing the discussion on the matter by leaving the room and following after Bodie to the lounge.

Jax’s “I beg to differ” following after him.


	2. 12:31am 18th February

The glowing clock by the bed mocked her as it clicked over another agonised minute. 12:31am. For three hours she had stared at that clock, counting off each minute as it trudged by. Once she had welcomed sleep as a rest from her busy days, now she shunned it! For all it brought now was nightmares. This was the second night she had avoided sleep and the horrible images it conjured. It hadn’t helped that she had done nothing all day but sit and brood, trying to read a book and avoiding the TV with it’s constant coverage of the bombing. Even the fact she had not slept properly for 2 days was not incentive enough to try, add to that the ache and inconvenience of her arm and she was ready to scream in frustration. The transfer from the hospital had gone Ok, she’d had a chance to talk to Bodie by himself, as Uncle George had been held up on urgent business, and had found him to be very intriguing. Definitely more than meets the eye, even though that was perfectly acceptable all by itself. The only highlight of the day, apart from Bodie, had been when Uncle George had stopped in to visit. He’d dropped a file off for Bodie and Doyle to read, she’d managed to get hold of it after he’d left and put her excellent memory to work. Names, dates and places, you never knew when such information would come in handy, she’d almost been caught reading it by Ray and had been relieved when he had passed the room by without looking in. She had been down right positive that the contents were not for her eyes. Other than that she had stayed in the lounge room, occasionally either Ray or Bodie would look in on her, but mostly they left her alone which she appreciated. She probably would have gone nuts trying to “Be Normal” for any length of time.

Occasionally she had caught snatches of conversation from Ray and Bodie in the kitchen, and she begun to build up a picture of the two of them. They were obviously very comfortable with each other, there were long silences as if they felt no need to fill them with superfluous conversation.

As the eternity between one minute and the next stretched out she could stand it no longer. Lying there letting her brain churn on and on was driving her insane, it was either get up now or throw the offending clock against the wall.

Rising from bed she wrapped the light duvet around herself, protection against the chill night. Following the faint sound of music she made her way down the corridor. Bodie would be inside tonight, his partner Ray camped out in the car across the street.

Nearing the lounge door she hesitated as a new track started, the stately notes of Canon in D marching towards her. She padded quietly to the doorway and peered in.

He was seated in one of the large wing backed armchairs, his long legs stretched out in front of him and crossed at the ankles. By the dim light of the stereo and a small lamp to his right she could observe his long lean body, apparently relaxed in sleep. His head was cradled in the curve of the wing, placing his face in shadow. He was a handsome man, the cream polo neck fitting well over his leanly muscled chest and arms and the close cut trousers showing his legs to advantage. She remembered with a shiver the effortless strength in those arms as he had lifted her from the ground in the subway. The sound of his voice came back to her, deep and sexy.

Watching him here, now, the slow even rhythm of his breathing, he reminded her of a sleeping cat. A large panther, its lethal power held in check. Now if only she could get him to purr for her!

She recalled the information that Susan had given her, Bodie had served in the SAS. He would be an unarmed combat expert of course. The thought of testing her skills against him sent another thrill down her spine.

“Is there something I can do for you Miss O’Brian?”

The unexpected sound of his voice made her jump and cry out, her hand flying to her mouth heart racing.

He had been aware of her scrutiny from the start. Very few people could creep up on Bodie when he was on duty, and the thoughts behind the woman’s gaze had been readily apparent. Bodie was well aware of the effect he had on most women and was not averse to using it to his advantage. Not that he was into deliberately breaking hearts or anything, but he saw no harm in using his God given talents as long as it was understood that nothing serious was wanted.

Now he could sense her guilty embarrassment at being caught, and he smiled to himself. He wondered what her next move would be.

Whilst trying to calm her racing heart Colleen speculated on how long he had known she was there. ‘Probably from the very beginning you idiot’ she told herself. ‘You don’t think Uncle George would put someone in charge of guarding you who couldn’t tell when they were being crept up on, do you’. The innuendo in his voice had been obvious. He had a fair idea what she had been thinking. Well she wasn’t going to let him get to her. She refused to feel like a naughty school girl caught ogling the handsome English teacher. She decided to tough it out.

“Um” she replied “I couldn’t sleep. Do you mind if I join you?” It was the truth after all!

A languid movement of his hand indicating the other chairs was her only answer. She could almost feel his self satisfied smile and was piqued by it. So she had been caught. Well she wasn’t going to feel guilty about it. She was not a school girl, hadn’t been for a long time. Swallowing her nervousness she walked slowly into the lounge towards him, stopping when she reached his outstretched feet. She waited a few seconds refusing to meet his gaze.

Well?” she questioned  
He raised a quizzical eyebrow. She nudged his feet with one of hers, an obvious signal to move them so she could sit. He decided to play dumb, just to see what she would do.

So he was going to play ignorant was he, and force her to be obvious. Well she’d show him. She turned her back on him and straddled his legs, rearranging the cover around herself she made as if to sit down. He was forced to pull back his legs rather quickly or have them sat on.

He had been tempted to stay put but had decided a strategic retreat was the better part of valour. Besides he admired her bravado.

Colleen then proceeded to make herself comfortable, drawing her knees up under the duvet and leaning back on the chair between his legs.

A loud beep sounded from the small table at his right, shattering the peace. He felt her jump. Bodie picked up the RT “3/7 over”

“4/5 here. How’s everything going in there?”

“Oh I think everything is going just fine in here, thankyou for asking” a puzzled silence issued from the RT and Colleen punched him on the thigh, eliciting a grunt from Bodie.  
“You Pig!” she muttered

"Oh. Right. 4/5 out" the RT clicked off, but not before she heard a stifled laugh. A laugh that was echoed quietly from behind.

"And here I thought you were a gentleman. Well it looks as if I'm going to have to take a refresher course in character judgement".

She sounded hurt and he was instantly sorry he had baited her. She made a move to leave, he reached out a restraining hand to her shoulder.

"Look, I'm sorry" he said "but Ray's not blind. He knows the score".

"Oh. So I was that obvious was I. Well so much for being subtle".

Well. No not really. Rays’ just good at reading people." he replied humour tinging his voice.

"Huh" she humphed back. But she relaxed, willing to be mollified.  
He left his hand on her shoulder, stroking it gently, her soft auburn hair brushing his hand. He felt a tremor run through her body.

“Cold?” he asked

“No”

“Oh”

“Nightmares”

“Sorry?” the non sequitur caught him off guard

“I haven’t slept since that night in the hospital. I spent the entire night reliving the whole thing over and over again”. her voice broke off with a sob. Bodie lent forward and gently turned her head towards him. Her eyes were red and tears ran down her cheeks, she would not meet his gaze and tried to pull away from him.

“Hey.” he said tightening his grip a little “Hey. There’s no shame in being scared. What you have been through and seen is not something you can forget in a couple of days”. gently he wiped the tears from her face.“

Colleen’s eyes went cold, and in a monotone she said “I hate them Bodie, for doing this to me, for making me feel this way. I think about it every minute of the day, and every time it hit’s me that I will never see my parent’s again, I want to find the people who did this, put a gun to their heads and pull the trigger myself.”

The statement did not suprise Bodie very much, but the lack of emotion did. Then he realised that it was not a lack of emotion, but an incredibly tight control of emotions that threatened to overwhelm.

Colleen was on the verge of an emotional collapse and needed to release the emotions she was holding back, with a sigh of resignation he realised that he had been chosen to do the job. Her choice could have been better, he thought wryly to himself, he wasn’t exactly the best at handling his own emotions let alone anyone else’s . Where the hell was Ray when you needed him, this was more along his line. He guessed he’d just have to do the best he could.

Colleen sat with her back to him, she had started to shiver again despite the duvet she had wrapped tightly around her. With the air of someone going ill equipped into battle, Bodie placed his hand on her shoulder again and quietly said the fateful words “I’m here if you want to talk about it”.  
Colleen heard the words, she also heard the apprehension behind them. Bodie was offering, but she could tell he wasn’t sure if he really wanted her to take up that offer.  
She knew from her conversation with Susan that Bodie was not one for emotions or the handing of them. She hesitated for a few seconds, but the purely selfish emotional side of her won out over altruism. Then angrily she decided she didn’t want to talk about anything, she just wanted to forget everything. She took a deep breath as she turned to face Bodie, rising up on her knees she threw her arms around his neck and sealed her lips to his.

Bodie was completely unprepared for Colleen’s actions. At first he responded to her kiss, his arms tightening around her as hers tightened around him. Duty however was not far behind in making it’s presence felt, however unwelcome the intrusion, and he managed to control himself. Removing her arms from around his neck, he pushed her gently away, ignoring the reproachful look she shot him in protest.

“Sorry sunshine, but I’m not letting you start anything that I’m not allowed to finish” he said in answer to her unspoken question.

“Not allowed, or don’t want too” she shot back, a challenge in her voice and posture.

“Not allowed.” he answered unequivocally “I’m on duty, protecting you. I wouldn’t be much use to you after, now would I” he stated pointedly

Colleen turned red and dropped her eyes at the implication of that statement.


	3. 19th February

Doyle stretched trying to relieve the ache in his neck and back, not to mention everywhere else. God how he hated night watch in the car. He didn’t care what the coin came up with, he was not staying in the car another night, and Bodie be damned. He was going to enjoy sleeping in a bed tonight. Picking up his RT from the passenger seat he checked in with the other agents who had been on watch outside that night.

Everyone checked in, claiming an uneventful night. Not even an unexplained loiterer to report. It was beginning to bother him, it had been two days since the bombing, they were bound to have heard that there was a witness by now, probably even had Colleen’s name. So why had there not been a move on the part of the remaining terrorists. He’d have to talk to Bodie and Cowley about it. Today was the day of the funeral for Colleens’ parents, and he had a bad feeling that was when they would make their move. Well, no use thinking about it on an empty and protesting stomach. Breakfast was in order, he could almost smell the coffee already. Opening the car door Doyle got out slowly, feeling like a ninety year old. No, he was not spending another night in that damned car.

Making his way to the back door of the house he waved to Williams and Jax who had camped out, they would come back again that night after a much earned rest. It was then that he noticed that the house was quiet and that there were no lights on anywhere. He began to think evil thoughts about what Bodie might have been up to with Miss O’Brian. Then pulled himself up, not even Bodie was that stupid, or insensitive enough to take advantage of the situation. Not with her being the Cow’s Goddaughter. Mind you, as far as he could tell she was gone on Bodie big time.

Doyle had long become inured, at least on the surface, to Bodies’ effect on women. With his rakish smile and rugged good looks combined with his personal charm most Birds didn’t stand a chance. Yes, Bodie could charm the feather’s, or should he say clothes, off any Bird. Grinning to himself he keyed open the back door and went to the kitchen to start breakfast. Whistling tunelessly he made a small effort to keep the noise down, he did not want to be too obvious besides, Colleen might still be asleep.

Bodie woke, fully alert as his unconscious sentries alerted him to the sound of the back door opening. Slowly he reached behind his back for his handgun, then relaxed as Doyle’s familiar tread and tuneless whistling followed. He grinned to himself, by the amount of noise coming from the kitchen Doyle was being very obvious. Well he was going to stay just where he was thank you very much, he had nothing to hide, besides he did not want to disturb Colleens sleep. She’d needed it.

Doyle decided he’d been obvious enough even for Bodie, besides which if he hadn’t heard him by now he had no business being in CI5. Making his way down the corridor to the bedrooms he was stopped in his tracks by a cough. At the lounge door he was surprised to find Bodie lying on the couch with Colleen in his arms. He was about to make a snide remark when the fact that they were both fully clothed registered on his mind.

“Love some breakfast mate” said Bodie, wishing he had a camera. The expression on Doyle’s face was priceless.

“Lost our touch have we?” was the only reply

Bodie put on his best injured innocence look and said “Why Ray, what ever could you mean by that?”

Doyle raised his eyebrow in a look that spoke a thousand words, grunted in disgust and turned back towards the kitchen, to be followed by Bodies triumphant chuckle.

Bodie looked at the woman cradled in his arms, amazed how young she actually looked with her face in peaceful repose, the care worn years melted away. He could understand Doyle’s’ thoughts it really would be cradle snatching. But then that was up to her.

Colleen woke, the buzz of voices intruding on her consciousness, a pleasant languor making her limbs heavy. Awareness seeped slowly back to her sleep fogged mind. Sleep? What was she doing asleep!

“Well. Good morning! I thought I was going to have to wake you myself”

The deep male voice in her ear startled her somewhat. Then she realised that someone’s arms were around her, and there was a warm presence behind her.

Bodie felt her tense and relaxed his arms, giving her the option to leave. He would have given anything to see the expressions on her face as memory of the night before returned.

Memory returned slowly, and Colleen relaxed back into the warm safety of Bodies arms.

“Thankyou. For last night. I think I needed someone to dump everything on, sorry it had to be you. But when you held me last night, it was the first time since it happened that I’d felt safe and I just couldn’t keep it inside anymore, so thanks”.

“All part of the service Mame” a quick hug belying the humour in his words.

When it looked like Colleen was going to stay put for the duration of the day Bodie asked “Don’t you think we should make a move?. Ray’s probably got breakfast going by now”

“You don’t have to be subtle about it you know Bodie, I do know what today is, which is why I think I’ll stay just here” and so saying she took his hand and draped his arm about her shoulders as if pulling a blanket over herself and made as if to go back to sleep. For Bodie’s part, while he could appreciate her sentiments hiding was not going to do any good. Gently but firmly disengaging his arm from her grip he shook her shoulder “Hey, hiding from it doesn’t help. Take it from me, you’ll regret not saying goodbye when you have the chance” an old pain in his voice made her turn to look at his face. His eyes were looking into the past, his mouth had gone severe. Placing her hand gently on the side of his face she asked “Who was it?”

“No one I care to talk about” he replied softly

“Oh. Sorry”

“It’s Ok. But believe me, no matter how hard it is you have to go today. Honour your parents memory and say goodbye. It’ll be important latter on.”

Leaning towards him she kissed him lightly on the lips, and with a wane smile said “Ok doctor you’ve convinced me. Was that Ray I heard talking before?”

“Yeah. He’s scaring up breakfast as we speak.”

Then suddenly she grinned at him “You didn’t happen to have a camera ready did you? I would have given anything to see his face when he saw us”

“Oh it was priceless alright. I think, he thinks I’m cradle snatching” and he proceeded to treat her to his best ‘come-here-little-girl’ leer, heartened by her effort to lighten the mood.

She countered with an ‘Oh please’ roll of her eyes heavenward “Oh he does, does he. Well it’s none of his business if I choose to be snatched from my cradle is it. I’ll just smile wickedly at him and then bat my lashes innocently” she demonstrated, much to Bodies’ amusement “That should keep him guessing. Well I’m definitely for a shower before eating” patting him on the cheek she swung herself off the couch and left for the shower.

Bodie sat up and stretched, a long joint cracking stretch. Replacing his gun in its shoulder holster he stood and made his way to the kitchen, the smell of bacon, eggs and coffee making his stomach protest its current state of emptiness.

“Bacon & eggs Ray, what are we coming too?”

“That’s what two nights in the front seat of a car will do to you. Anyway I’m having toast.” Doyle replied deciding not to rise to the bait this time. Bodie was forever teasing him about his taste in food.

“So tonight YOU are taking the outside watch, and that is a definite!”

“Fine by me” Bodie replied complacently.

Doyle looked at him suspiciously, it wasn’t like Bodie to give in so easily. But Bodie just returned an innocent look and sat down to start in on the steaming cup of coffee on the table.

After stopping to pick up her clothes from the bedroom Colleen headed for the shower. Despite her levity with Bodie, she had truly meant it when she said that she did not want to get up today, as if by ignoring the whole thing she could make it go away. A terrible nightmare that she would wake up from any second. But Bodie was right, hiding from it would not make everything go away.

Bodie. Now there was an enigma worth sorting out if ever there was one. He was like an iceberg with just the tip showing, and a hint of deeper things below. She had always liked a challenge. At least she would have an inside ear into the search for the murdering bastards the had shattered her life, and so many others, she doubted that Uncle George would see fit to keep her posted.

Now there was a problem just waiting to happen, she mused as she showered. She could just imagine what George Cowley would say if she decided to start a relationship with Bodie, something along the lines of “Over my dead body” sprang to mind quickly enough.

Well Uncle George was in for a suprise if he thought he was going to get away with running her private life, even if it were for her own good. Her father had long ago learned the folly of trying to interfere in her life, it had been a bitter contest of wills, but she had eventually won out by showing him that she usually had good judgement. They had been very close after that, she had been able to talk to him about anything that was going on in her life. She closed her eyes against a fresh flood of tears, that was what she would miss most her fathers wisdom and counsel and his staunch support of her decisions. Her mother had always understood her, and lent her silent support in her battles with her father, knowing that she must sort them out herself. Her mother had never taken sides, but had played a valuable roll of mediator, understanding that the conflict was caused by love and concern and managing to point this out at just the right moment to prevent irreparable damage on both sides. Colleen smiled inspite of herself. She and her father would be on the verge of saying things that would hurt each other, mother would put in a word or two and they would realise the foolishness of their actions and the argument would all of a sudden become a silly one that could have been resolved easily. Her father had always joked that her mother should have been the diplomat in the family.

Colleen finished dressing just as the smell of bacon and eggs wafted into her room, her stomach immediately made it known that it was suffering from terrible neglect and that she should rush out immediately and do something about it. “Allright. Allright” she said impatiently in answer to her growling stomach. Opening the bedroom door she made her way quickly to the kitchen. Colleen was suprised that she felt like eating anything, in view of what day it was, but then she supposed that you could only go for so long without food before your body started jumping up and down about it. It had been three days after all.

“Morning all” she said as she entered the kitchen. Ray was serving up a large portion of bacon and eggs on toast and her mouth began to salivate.

“I hope you’re hungry?” Ray asked as he placed a large mug of coffee on the table next to the bacon and eggs.

“Starving” came the quick reply from Colleen as she sat down and started in on breakfast.

“Must have been busy last night then” Ray commented, entirely too offhandedly

Bodie choked on his coffee. Colleen however, who had been expecting something of the sort, merely looked up from her plate, batted her eyelids innocently and said “Why Ray, whatever could you mean by that, I hope you’re not implying any impropriety on my part”

“It’s not you I was thinking about” Ray answered, not to be caught flat footed by the ready reply, and earning himself a dirty look from Bodie. 

“I’ll have you know that Bodie was a perfect gentleman last night, much to my disappointment” this time Colleen’s comment caused both men to choke on their coffee. On that note of triumph she raised her own mug in salute and turned her concentration to her breakfast, leaving Bodie and Doyle to glare at each other and wonder who had gotten the better of whom.

The rest of breakfast passed in silence, a smug silence at one end of the table, a hard done by silence at the other with a puzzled silence in the middle.

Just as the silence was getting strained, it was interrupted by a page from Doyle’s R/T which was sitting on the table next to him.

“4/5 here, over”

“Alpha One here, are Colleen and Bodie with you?”

“Yes. Over”

“Good. I’ll be there in approximately 15 minutes to brief you all on security arrangements for today. Alpha One out.”

“Roger Alpha One. 4/5 out”

Doyle looked over at Colleen, all humour had drained from her face. She put her knife and fork down on the table and pushed her half finished breakfast away from her.

“Suddenly I’m not hungry any more” she said getting up from the table, “I’ll be in my room”

Doyle put a restraining hand on Bodie’s arm as he moved to follow her.

“Leave her Bodie. She wants to be alone” Doyle replied to Bodie’s angry look. Noting the firmness of Doyle’s hold Bodie subsided, pushing the remains of his own breakfast away. “I’ seem to have lost my own appetite” he said flatly.

Doyle raised an eyebrow.

“Yes?” Bodie demanded

“Yes what?” Doyle questioned, deliberately obtuse

“Never mind” Bodie retorted

“By the way, it’s your turn to do the dishes” Doyle added rising to stack the plates on the sink bench, ignoring another glare from Bodie.

Colleen closed the door behind her and lay down on the bed. Those words ‘security arrangements for today’ they had struck her as obscene, you shouldn’t need security arrangements at a funeral. Then there was the fact that when those words had again slapped her in the face with the fact that today was the funeral, she had felt nothing. Numb, that was all, just an empty numbness. It was like all her emotions and feelings had been locked up in a cold sparkling had crystal in her heart so she wouldn’t have to feel anymore. A small rational part of her said that it was just the minds way of protecting itself from the stress of grief, but another part that was far louder wondered if it wasn’t better that way and maybe she should stay like this. And that frightened her. Colleen rolled over, burying her face in a pillow tyring to make her mind as blank as her emotions.

Colleen was startled awake by a knock on the door, “Who is it?” she called

“It’s me, Susan”

“Come in”

The door opened and Susan stepped in carrying a hanger with a plastic dress cover on it, and a bulky canvas carry bag. “A change of clothes for the funeral” she said matter of factly.  
Colleen stared at the hanger and couldn’t find anything to say.

“And this” Susan said holding up the carry bag, “is also for you to wear”

“What is it?” Colleen asked suspiciously

“A bullet proof vest” Susan replied, unsurprised at the shocked expression on Colleens face.

“What the Hell do I need one of those for?” Colleen demanded, almost shouting

“Because we suspect there may be an attempt on your life at the funeral today” Susan explained in a reasonable tone of voice. But Colleen was having none of ‘reasonable’ at the moment and proceeded to tell the hapless Susan exactly what she though of having to wear a bullet proof vest to her parents funeral.

Doyle winced at the language emanating at high volume from the room up the hall, noticing that even Bodie looked a little shocked. George Cowley looked grim but unsurprised. When Doyle raised his eyebrow in question Cowley answered him with a tight smile.

“You don’t hang around soldiers your entire life without picking up some inappropriate language”

“Inappropriate language” Doyle replied incredulously, “Even Bodie’s looking a little green. I think we’d better go in and see if Susan’s still alive in there.”

“Nonsense, Susan is quite capable of taking care of herself” Cowley replied with quite confidence, “I will however have to speak quite severely to Miss O’Brian about her choice of language at some later date.” he added.

Susan stood weathering the verbal storm, a look of faint suprise on her face. Gradually the volume lowered and the words lost their flow as Colleen started to repeat herself.

“My goodness!” Susan exclaimed vacuously in a silver spoon accent “Where ever did you pick up such language?, I’m relieved I haven’t gone deaf.”

Colleen’s head shot up, and her jaw dropped, she had not expected such a response to her invective. The sight of Susan standing there with a prim and slightly suprised expression on her face all of a sudden struck her as hilariously funny, she started laughing and found she couldn’t stop.

Eventually she managed to get herself under some semblance of control, as she lay on the bed cradling her protesting stomach muscles and gasping for breath. “I’m sorry” she managed between gasps “I didn’t mean any of that personally” Colleen apologised, going redder still in memory of the vocabulary she had used.

“Quite all right my dear” Susan replied, continuing to use the accent’ “You’d be absolutely amazed at what one learns by associating with undesirables and such like. Besides,” she added dropping the accent’ “I’ve been working with this disreputable lot long enough that very little shock’s me anymore. However,” she added sternly, wagging her finger at Colleen, “If I hear that sort of language from you again young lady I’ll have you across my knee for a good spanking”

“Ha” Colleen replied with a laugh, “I’d like to see you try”

“Or maybe I’ll get one of the boys to do it” Susan countered slyly, chuckling at the slow blush that crept up Colleen’s face. “Now which one I wonder” she continued out loud.

“Very funny. Ha ha.” Colleen replied to the threat. “I suppose I should get changed” she said looking at her watch. “I didn’t know it was so late”

“Mr Cowley said not to wake you early, you needed the rest. I’ll give you a hand with the vest when you’re done” Susan replied hanging the clothes on the hook on the closet door and dropping the bag at the end of the bed. “They’re a pain to wear, but they do the job”

“Are you really expecting trouble?” Colleen asked in a subdued voice

“There could be, your fathers position as a diplomat had made the funeral a highly publicised affair. It would be the logical place to make their move, and we’re not taking any chances” Susan answered, turning to leave

“Susan?” Colleen called

“Yes” Susan turned, her hand on the door handle

Colleen rose from the bed and standing in front of the other woman put her arms around her and hugged, “Thanks for understanding” she said softly.

“You’re welcome” Susan returned, hugging her back. Pulling away, she placed her hand on Colleen’s face and wiped away a stray tear. “You’ll be Ok” she said and turned to leave.

Colleen reached for the hankie up her sleave and blew her nose.

“It’s gotten quiet in there all of a sudden” Doyle observed “do you think we should send in a rescue party?, the SAS perhaps?” he suggested, eyeing Bodie speculatively.

Bodie refused to dignify the suggestion with an answer, and settled for throwing his partner a warning look, which Doyle wisely chose to heed.

Susan entered the kitchen “She’ll be alright. She took it better than I would have” she replied in answer to a questioning look from Cowley.

“Thank you Susan, it was not a task I was looking forward too.” Cowley said in a weary tone.

“Glad I could help Sir. She’s a tough one, taking it better than I would be that’s for sure. I’d watch her though, I get this feeling that she’s bottling allot of it up.”

“I’ll keep an eye on her” Cowley replied. “Now, about security arrangements. When the car arrives to pick us up I’ve arranged for Julia to be dressed in a similar fashion to Colleen, It should bring down the odds of a successful attempt. Doyle, you will be acting as her body guard, you will be by her side the whole time. Bodie, you will be acting as driver, Susan you’ll be backup. Any questions?”

Bodie seemed about to make a comment, but catching a look from Doyle decided against it.

“Good” Cowley said, pretending to ignore the byplay between Bodie and Doyle. “The house sitter should be arriving soon with your clothes. I don’t think we’ll come back here, so they’ll pack everything and move it to one of the inner city apartments. I don’t think it’s a good idea to stay in one place too long, and someone may follow you back here.”

“Which apartment Sir” queried Doyle

“The Rochester Apartments I think, they’re central and close to headquarters, we can get backup to you quickly if necessary.”

They were interrupted by a knock followed by the door opening, Bodie, Doyle and Susan all had their guns out pointing at the kitchen entrance. Cowley continued to sit calmly at the table.

“My, my George. They are good aren’t they” observed the tall asthetic looking woman standing in the doorway. She looked to be in her early fifties, her steel grey hair pulled back into a loose bun, a large smile on her face  
“Aren’t you going to introduce me George” she asked pointedly

“Certainly” he replied standing and waving at them to put their guns away.

“Susan, Doyle, Bodie. This is Sylvia Stanton - Hargraves who looks after this house for CI5” Cowley said indicating each in turn

The three of them nodded hello, they were interrupted by an “Excuse me” from the hall exit.

They turned to see a sombrely dressed Colleen standing there.

Everyone turning to look at her at once flustered her and she stammered as she lost track of her thoughts. The closer it got to the actual funeral, the harder it got to keep it all together. She felt like she was falling apart, slowly.

Sylvia, seeing Colleen’s distress, moved towards her an expression of quiet sympathy on her face. When she reached Colleen she placed an arm around her shoulder and turned her back towards the hall, guiding her back to her room. Looking back over her shoulder she said to Cowley “We’ll be out when the car comes. The clothes are in the car.” and continued on to the bedroom.

“Clothes?” Bodie and Doyle asked in unison.

“Yes, clothes” Cowley answered. “You can’t go to the funeral dressed like that” he elaborated, indicating their casual clothes. “Bodie there’s a chauffer’s uniform for you, and a suit for you Doyle.”

Bodie and Doyle groaned together

“A chauffeur’s uniform Sir” Bodie objected

“I think you’ll look cute in a chauffeur’s uniform” Susan remarked fatuously as she reached over and patted him on the cheek

“Cute” Bodie objected more strongly whilst shooting a deadly glare at his smirking partner “Sir?” He questioned Cowley desperately

“You’ll wear what I tell you to.” Cowley replied “If I want you to wear clown suit, you’ll wear a clown suit”

Bodie shot Doyle a ‘say anything and I’ll kill you’ look as Doyle and Susan doubled up laughing at the image.

The time until the car came was passed going over security arrangements, Bodie throwing concerned glances in the direction of Colleen’s room trying not to let on that he was doing it.

Eventually the sound of car tires on the driveway and two quick blasts on the horn, alerted everyone to the arrival of the car.

Bodie went out to take over from the current driver, whilst Doyle, Cowley and Susan waited for Colleen. 

Colleen made an appearance, looking pale behind the black veil and clutching Sylvia’s hand.

Susan went over to her and taking her other hand guided her out the door to the waiting car.

The others followed behind.

Bodie stood at the passenger door of the long black Limo, it’s darkened windows looking ominous in the bright sunshine. Perversely the weather had chosen to be bright, sunny and warm today, and irrationally Colleen felt angry and betrayed by that. She just wanted today to be over. Today everything was real, her parents were dead, her life was ruined and she couldn’t see tomorrow as being an option.

Reluctantly she approached the passenger door, Bodie held out his hand for hers to help her into the car and applied a gentle pressure, which she returned with a small grateful smile.

Doyle took his place in the front passenger seat, Cowley went around to the other side and got in the back with Susan. She was dimly aware of another presence in the car next to her, but she chose not to register who it was. She could only go through the motions today, her body was here but she felt strangely numb, as if her true self was absent or watching from afar.

The drive to the church was a blur, as was the ceremony itself. She spoke when spoken too, giving the correct responses as if on autopilot, if she said the wrong thing nobody seemed to notice, or if they did were too polite to say. Then she was being lead down the church isle by a woman also dressed in black with a veil and bundled in to the waiting limo, ready to make their way to the cemetery for the actual burial. Colleen let herself be lead to the grave site, where the woman in black left her with Uncle George and stepped in front to stand to the right of the minister. She thought this was a little odd, shouldn’t she be there?. She could hear the voice of the minister droning as if from a long distance away and the question of where she was standing lost it’s importance. She stood staring at the minister, his robes looking splendid in the bright sunlight, glints of light reflecting off the gold and silver embroidery. 

The minister had just reached the end of is speech when the woman standing beside him started and fell backwards. Colleen felt something warm and wet on her face, she reached up her hand and touched it. She stood stock still staring at the redness on her fingers, wondering what it could be. She was jarred back into reality as someone pushed her violently to the ground, a cry escaping as the breath was knocked out of her.

Doyle noticed Julia start and fall backwards, felt the unwelcome but all too familiar spatter of blood on his face and knew instantly that something was wrong. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Colleen freeze staring at her bloody hand, then Cowley pushed her to the ground, shielding her with his body, gun drawn. The shot had been unheard, which meant a silencer. Doyle crouched taking shelter behind a nearby headstone trying to get a look in the direction of fire. Chaos reined around him as people ducked or ran for cover, screaming or crying out conflicting orders.

 

Only one shot, he thought to himself, which meant that the sniper probably wasn’t going to try again. It had been a one shot affair he thought sourly to himself, one chance to hit the right target.

Cautiously, staying crouched, he moved over to the sprawled form in black feeling for a pulse in her neck he could find none, not that he’d expected to. The shot had been efficient, one in the side of the head and the agent had dropped like a stone without a sound. Doyle swore under his breath, anger kept tightly under control. He looked back towards the cars and saw Bodie sprinting towards them, gun drawn and lips drawn back in a snarl. Bodie skidded to a halt next to Cowley, helping him with a hysterically struggling Colleen.

“I’ve got her” Cowley said “It came from over there, GO, I want him found” he ordered.

Doyle started off in the indicated direction, Bodie after a heartbeats indecision, following behind.

Moving carefully from headstone to headstone, covering each other, they advanced on the most likely place for the sniper to have hidden. A large marble mausoleum with two wrought iron gates loomed over them as they approached, guns pointed upwards at the roof. Doyle motioned to Bodie to take point as they sidled, backs to the wall, around the structure looking for signs of the snipper.

Bodie signalled a halt, and motioning Doyle to stay where he was, advanced along the wall until he reached a dangling rope ladder. Stepping quickly away from the wall he brought his gun up pointing to the roof where the ladder came down, with a flick of his head he indicated that Doyle should investigate.

Moving quickly Doyle removed his jacket, and tucking his gun into his belt for easy access started cautiously up the ladder. He risked a quick glance over the ledge and saw that the roof was empty. Easing onto the ledge he dropped into a crouch on the sunken roof, scanning the area he noticed off to the side an abandoned rifle on a tripod. 

He looked back down at Bodie “This is the place all right. There’s a snipers setup back there, gun tripod, the usual”

Bodie relaxed, lowering his gun. “The Cow’ll want it all for evidence” he called up to Doyle

“Right” came a muffled reply, followed soon after by a curly head of hair as Doyle leaned out over the ledge, the rifle dangling by a strap.

“Catch” he called to his partner, moments before dropping the weapon, confident that Bodie would have no trouble catching it. He then swung down the ladder himself, carrying the tripod.

“Shells?” Bodie asked

Doyle patted his pocket.

Then Bodie offered Doyle a large white handkerchief, upon receiving a blank look he waived it at him again saying “It’s probably not a good idea to go back with blood all over your face!”

Doyle grimaced in disgust and taking the cloth removed as much of the blood as possible, then quickly stuffed it into his pants pocket without looking at it. Whilst he had been cleaning up Bodie had been scouting the area, he returned with a baffled expression on his face.

“I can’t see how they got away in such a short time without anyone seeing them” he stated.

He leaned against the mausoleum wall, carefully propping the rifle against it as well. 

“It was what? 2 minutes at most before we got here, and I can’t see any headstones that way, that would be big enough to hide behind. So where did he go?”  
“Beats me” Doyle answered “But we better get back to Cowley and report on our findings. Leave the mysteries to the forensic boys. All I know is that he’s not here anymore”

“We hope” Bodie added 

“Are you trying to be cheerful” Doyle retorted sarcastically

Bodie didn’t answer, he just gathered up the rifle and started back towards the grave site. Doyle followed along behind.

The scene was much changed from a few minutes before, where chaos had reined there was now a sort of orderly disorder. Most of the people attending had been moved away by police, plainclothes agents were now doing a sweep of the surrounding area moving out towards the mausoleum in a grid pattern.

Cowley was talking to a uniformed policeman, Susan stood nearby comforting Colleen, as Bodie and Doyle approached he waved them over to him.

Bodie held up the rifle and Doyle the tripod.

“No sign of the sniper?” Cowley asked

“None” Bodie answered disgustedly

Cowley indicated that the officer standing next to him should take the rifle and tripod saying “I want those to forensic ASAP, and I want the report sooner”

Doyle removed the bloody handkerchief from his pocket and placed the spent cartridge in it before handing it over to the officer, who took it somewhat reluctantly.

“How is she?” Bodie asked indicating Colleen and trying to keep the concern from showing too much.

“Not good” Cowley replied “She’s having a rough time. I want her taken to the number 2 city safe house, Susan will go with you and I’ll send back up as soon as I can. Keep an eye on her, I don’t know what this latest incident will do to her. I’ve put a call through to Sylvia, she’ll have Colleen’s clothes waiting at the apartment.”

Bodie and Doyle acknowledged this with a nod.

“Julia?” Doyle asked

“She’s been taken to Mercy Hospital” Cowley replied tersely “The story will go out that Colleen O’Brian has been shot and killed, that way we shouldn’t have to worry about any more attempts.” he didn’t need to add that this way at least her death would mean something.

Doyle caught a glimpse of anger and guilt in Cowley’s eyes, before he assumed his usual unreadable expression. If there was one thing Cowley hated it was loosing good operatives, he was going to want blood on this one Doyle knew.

“Coming?” Doyle asked as he passed Bodie, clapping him on the shoulder, on the way over to Susan and Colleen.

Bodie grunted and followed behind.

Susan looked up as Doyle and Bodie approached, both had hard expressions on their faces, Bodie’s however turned concern as he eyed Colleen. Well, well, it looked as if the feelings were mutual she thought to her self, with a secret smile in spite of recent events. If they didn’t end up killing each other, it would do them both good. She continued to stroke Colleen’s hair and murmur soothing words in an effort to calm the weeping girl.

Colleen sensed someone approaching and taking a large breath pulled away from Susan and tried to make herself presentable, she did not want anyone to see her like this. When she saw that it was Bodie and Doyle approaching she became suddenly shy of acknowledging her feelings in front of witnesses.  
“Take me back to the car please” she said to Susan, turning her back on Bodie and Doyle.

Susan hesitated, looking back at the two approaching men, before a touch on her arm from Colleen hurried her along.

They reached the limo and Susan opened the door, climbing in after Colleen and closing the door behind them. Moments after the front doors opened and the car rocked slightly as Bodie and Doyle got in. The engine purred to life and the car swung out onto the narrow cemetery road.

Colleen had left the darkened glass divider up between the front and the passenger space, she now sat hunched in the far corner, arms folded across her chest, eyes staring sightlessly through the smoked glass side window.

The silence stretched out painfully, no one wanting to break it for fear of disturbing Colleen who had sunk into a daze, barely registering the world that passed before her.

The car pulled into the underground parking lot, and manuvered into the nearest space to the elevator. Bodie and Doyle exited first, Doyle quickly making sure the area was clear and Bodie going round to Colleen’s side of the car and opened the door when Doyle gave the all clear. Colleen accepted his help without really acknowledging it and he lead her to the elevator and punched the call button, choosing not to take her silence personally.

A chime sounded and the elevator car arrived, Doyle and Susan entered first followed by Bodie and Colleen. Doyle punched the 4th floor button and the doors closed, the lift ascending smoothly. It reached the 4th floor, it’s journey uninterrupted, the door opened and Doyle stepped out first scanning both directions. There was nobody in sight and he motioned for the rest to follow as he made his way to the apartment door and unlocked it. He and Susan gave the place a quick once over and pulled all the curtains, just in case, before giving the all clear to Bodie and Colleen.

Susan took one look at Colleen and decided it was time to take charge, she removed Colleen’s arm from Bodie’s hand and with a warning look at him steered her towards the largest room, the one with the on-suite. Sitting Colleen down on the large double bed, Susan went into the bathroom and went about drawing a bath, making sure it was good and hot, she then helped Colleen out of her bloodstained coat and flack jacket before pushing her towards the bathroom door with a stern admonishment to take a long soak and not come out until she was ready, and that she would get some of her clothes ready to change into.

Colleen stripped off her clothes, ignoring the dark stains on her blouse as best she could. Her skin crawled where it came into contact with the damp cloth, she couldn’t get into the bath fast enough, to wash off the blood.

She stepped gingerly into the tub, hissing at the temperature of the water as she sank slowly into it. She grabbed the soap and the flannel and started to scrub franticly, sure that even if she got the actual blood off she would never get rid of that feeling of something warm spattering over her face. Her body started to shiver and she lay back in the water, grateful for the enveloping heat. She stared fixedly at the bathroom ceiling, the shifting fog of steam moving hypnotically before her.

Colleen was startled out of the beginnings of a nightmare by a knock at the door and Susan’s concerned voice asking if she was alright. 

“I’m Ok” she replied, “I just fell asleep” she said “I’ll be out in a minute”.

She shivered as she noticed that the water had gotten quite cool, and wondered how long she had been dozing. Hauling herself slowly from the tub she reached for the towels on the rack and dried herself off quickly before the chill air got to her. Putting on the long bathrobe she went back to her room and sat down on the bed, drying her hair, slowly she felt the tensions of the day drain out of her the rage and hurt she had felt during the events cooled and hardened into a crystal of an idea in her mind. She could not allow the people who had killed her parents and now the woman at the funeral to go unpunished, in a burst of inspiration it became clear that she would have to act. Colleen was sick of the constant inaction, the loss of control of her life, she would go out and find these people herself, help Uncle George and his people, she had a right to be there when they were brought to justice.

But first she would have to slip out of the apartment without anyone knowing she had gone, at least until she was far enough away to get lost in the crowd, then she could use the information out of the files and come up with a plausible story to get in contact with the people she wished to find.

Quickly dressing in the jeans and T-shirt that Susan had left on the bed, Colleen noted with relief that Susan had also left the duffle bag in the room and that it contained sneakers and socks, she would have been hard pressed to escape and be inconspicuous in bare feet.

Hiding the shoes under the bed for later, Colleen went to the bedroom window and peered through the drawn curtains. The day outside was as clear as it had been that morning and her luck seemed to have taken a turn for the better, there just outside the window was a fire escape ladder. Just the thing for an escape, but that would have to wait until after dark when there was less chance of her being seen or missed.

A guilty start brought her out of her thoughts as someone knocked on her door.

“It’s me” came Bodie’s muffled voice “Are you Ok?”

Colleen winced a little at the worry and hurt in his voice, she had acted rather cold and rude to him on the way back from the funeral, as if all that had happened had been his fault for not stopping it. She desperately wanted to apologise, but it would be better if he thought she was still upset with him, he might check on her less often lengthening the time she would have before her absence was noted.

“Fine” she replied as coldly as she could

Silence greeted her reply

“Ok. There’s coffee and something to eat if you want it” Bodie’s carefully neutral voice sent another stab of guilt through her, but she went ahead with her plan.

“Not really. I would prefer to be left alone, I’m very tired and I want to get some sleep”

Silence again, then “As you wish” followed by muffled footsteps retreating back towards the kitchen.  
She was a little hungry but she didn’t think she could face the others without giving herself away, she would just have to pick up something later on.

She would have to leave her wallet behind, she didn’t want anyone to be able to identify her, which meant a visit to her old friend Jules.

Jules was a friend of one of her old boyfriends, he was what you might call a little on the shady side of life, if there was something you wanted in the way of illegal documentation and occasionally cash or guns then Jules was the woman to see. She remembered where she had been the last time she was in London, and hoped for her sake that she was still there.

She would be able to arm herself as well, she had a feeling that she would need some form of gun to back up her martial skills.

Her plans made, Colleen decided that she really did need some rest so she set her watch alarm for 6pm and put it under her pillow where she would hear it but it would be muffled from anyone hearing it outside the door. She just hoped that now she was not just a helpless victim that she could finally get some peaceful sleep.

A high pitched beeping in her ear woke Colleen up, followed by the realisation that it was dark outside, quickly she put her sneakers on and stuffing two pillows under the covers she quickly arranged everything to look as if she was still sleeping. It should give her a little more time if anyone looked in on her.

Going quietly to the door, she placed her ear next to the wood and listened for any sounds of approach. She could hear the TV faintly in the distance, but no sign that anyone was coming towards the room. Moving back to the window she checked to make sure there was no one outside who could spot her leaving, seeing that the coast was clear she eased the window open and climbed out onto the fire escape wincing at the noise that to her seemed so loud she was sure everyone in the apartment block could hear it. However, a brief pause showed this to be an exaggeration as no sounds of discovery could be heard, so she slowly closed the window behind her.

Making her way slowly down the fire escape, she breathed a sigh of relief when she made it to the bottom without being discovered. Just as she let the end of the ladder swing back up a voice from behind almost made her scream.

“And what do you think you’re doing Lass?” came the gruff male voice

Colleen jumped, her heart pounding, she had to stuff her fist in her mouth to keep from shouting out. She turned slowly and was faced with an old man dressed in a woollen dressing gown and slippers, standing in a doorway.

“Girl like you shouldn’t be sneaking off like that” he said before Colleen could recover her voice. He stood there obviously waiting for an explanation

“Over protective father” she said in a somewhat squeaky voice, putting on a smile she hoped was innocent enough and hoping he couldn’t hear her heart pounding from where he stood. “He doesn’t like my boyfriend” she lied “Please don’t tell anyone, a girl’s got to have some fun doesn’t she?” she asked expectantly.

The old man grinned at her, making shooing gestures and saying “Go on with ye, I’ll keep you’re secret if no one asks me directly, I wont lie for anyone.”

“Oh thank you” she replied sincerely, blowing him a kiss before she ran quickly towards the back entrance. Stopping to get her bearings she decided to turn the corner down the road a way and then catch a cab to Jules’s place.

Doyle took one look at Bodie’s face as her returned from Colleen’s room and debated wether or not to ask the question, then decided what the hell live dangerously.

“What’s wrong with you?” he asked casually

“She’s acting like this is all my fault” he replied half angry, half bewildered

“Be reasonable Bodie” Susan replied “She has to blame someone”

“Why me?” Bodie interrupted

“She can’t take it out on the real perpetrators, so I guess you’re the next best thing” Susan replied trying to keep a straight face

“Yeah, so. Why me” Bodie repeated

“You’re someone she feels she can trust, although I can’t think why. Do I have to spell it out” Susan replied exasperated at his obtuseness.

“No, you don’t, and you can shut up” Bodie threw the words at a grinning Doyle

“I didn’t say anything” Doyle replied

Bodie threw up his hands and headed for the kitchenette, muttering to himself, trailed by stifled laughter.

Some hours later Doyle looked at his watch, noting the time at 7pm he got up “I guess I’d better check on Colleen, se if she want’s any dinner”.

“Ok” Susan replied “I’ll go and see if Bodie is still talking to us” she said with a grin.

“Good luck” he replied, returning her grin with one of his own.

Doyle knocked quietly on the door “Colleen, is everything Ok?, are you hungry?”

When he got no reply he knocked again louder this time and repeated the question. Again no reply.

Acting on a hunch he opened the door, and was greeted by the sight of an apparently sleeping figure, he was just about to close the door again when alarm bells started ringing as something not quite right about the scene registered on his conscious mind. The figure on the bed was not breathing. Fighting rising panic, Doyle rushed to the bed and flung the bedclothes off. It took a moment to register the significance of the two pillows lying on the bed.

“Bodie! Susan!” he yelled as he ran to the window and noted that it was not locked. He had just ducked his head out when Bodie and Susan came running into the room, guns drawn.

“What?!” Bodie yelled before taking in the bed and open window, jumping to the obvious conclusion and letting loose with a particularly vile epithet, to which Susan agreed heartily.

“How much of a head start has she got?” Doyle asked

Bodie looked at his watch “Four hours at most” he replied unhappily

“Four hours!” Susan echoed, “You do realise that Cowley is going to have kittens when he finds out about this. Then he’ll have us shot”.

“No signs of a struggle” Doyle mused to himself “So she wasn’t taken, which means she left under her own steam”.

“What the hell was she thinking” Bodie exploded, joining Doyle at the window.

“Obviously she wasn’t” Doyle replied caustically

Susan kept her comments to herself.  
“So, where has she gone?, and who goes after her?, and who tells Cowley?” Susan asked casually

“In answer to your questions, don’t know, we do, and you.” Doyle replied fatuously

“Why me?!” Susan asked with mock indignation

“Because he’s less likely to shoot first and ask questions later if the news comes from you” Doyle replied.

“How do you figure that one” Susan asked

“Because Bodie here, is not exactly in our illustrious leader’s good books at the moment. A trifling matter of being involved with his goddaughter, you understand. And since I’ll be standing next to him, I’d probably be killed by stray bullets. So I think you can see why you’re the best choice” Doyle finished as if his answer was perfectly acceptable.

Susan gave them both one of her looks, “You are both going to owe me big time when this is all over, and I will collect, and if Cowley does happen to rip my head off, I swear I’ll come back and make your lives a living hell. Just so you understand” she finished smiling sweetly at them.

Both Bodie and Doyle decided not to comment on that statement.

“So” Doyle said, changing the subject hastily, “That just leaves where, and I think I might have an idea on that. Back at the cottage I think I saw her looking in on the case file, I didn’t think much of it at the time, but I guess she found enough to think she could go out on her own.”

“Where would she get an idea like that?” Bodie asked mystified

“Police Training Collage” Susan replied

“Excuse me?” asked a baffled Bodie

“She graduated from Police Training Collage in the States. Before all this happened she was on leave before assignment. So I guess she got a little carried away and decided she was sick of waiting around. Can’t say I blame her.” Susan replied

“And just when did you find this out” Bodie asked

“Oh, we had a long talk when she was in hospital, you wouldn’t believe the things we talked about” Susan answered with a sly grin on her face, and a raised eyebrow.

Bodie chose not to raise to the bait, to which Susan was very disappointed. Doyle however could not resist a sly grin at his scowling partner, who looked ready to deck him if he actually dared open his mouth with an actual comment.

“Well, we can’t sit around here for ever, you two get going, I’ll contact Cowley about 10 minutes after you leave, and don’t tell me where you’re going. That way if he asks, I can truthfully say I don’t know, and he can’t send the hounds after you. Ok”

“What can we say Susan, you’re too devious for us” Doyle commented with a grin “I’ll go and get the file, then we’ll be on our way” he finished as he left the room for the kitchen.

“Thanks love. We owe you” Bodie said as he passed her by, stopping to kiss her on the cheek.

“With bells on Bodie, with bells on” Susan called after him, smiling to herself. Then she frowned and cursed herself silently, she should have see this coming and stopped it, if anything happened to Colleen she would never forgive herself.

Colleen settled the heavy warm jacket on her shoulders and pulled the collar up against the cold, after settling the cap more firmly on her head. Jules had been somewhat shocked to see her, seeing as she was supposed to be dead, which was news to her, but had gotten over it fairly quickly. Strange was the norm for Jules. After she had explained her situation Jules had been more than happy to help, for mates rates of course, That and the fact she got no patronising crap about being careful and stuff like that, buoyed Colleen’s spirits some what.

Checking the gun in her pocket, she headed off towards the last place mentioned on the list of possible hangouts to try her luck. She figured if anyone was trying to find her they’d start from the beginning of the list.

After a twenty minute bus trip and a five minute walk, she reached her destination, a corner pub called, appropriately enough, the Shamrock Arms. She stood outside for a minute, gathering her courage, before taking a deep breath and entering the building.

The atmosphere inside was thick with smoke and dimly lit, she had to struggle to keep from coughing. She made her way to the bar, ordered a beer and casually dropped a name from the file, before taking her beer and settling into a slouch at a table near the door to await a response.

 

Bodie and Doyle left another club empty handed and exasperated, there were 6 on the list and this was the third one they’d been to with no sign of Colleen.  
“How can she move this fast” Bodie asked “She has to be doing a wait and see routine, and even if she did have a four hour start on us, I still don’t think she could have gotten this far with nobody spotting her”

They had been having this conversation since the second place they had checked out and Doyle now thought he had the answer. “I have a feeling she’s outsmarted us” he said, ignoring Bodies snort of disbelief.

“I think she started at the other end of the list. So I think that’s where we should try next, don’t you?”

Bodie grunted noncommitally, still unable to believe that they might have been outthought by a rank amateur, and a woman at that.

“I’ll drive then” Doyle replied.

They pulled up to the Shamrock Arms, both men scanning the area for potential trouble. Spotting nothing immediate, they got out of the car and entered the pub. Not wanting to attract attention they made straight for the bar, searching faces as they went, and ordered 2 pints. Opting to stay at the bar they made a more thorough scan of the occupants of the bar, but the dim lighting and smoky atmosphere made the job hard.

 

Colleen nearly choked on her drink when she saw them walk through the door, how in hell had they found her so fast. She would have to leave before they spotted her and dragged her back into custody. Pulling her cap down lower over her face she calmly finished her beer and stood slowly to leave, hoping her movement wouldn’t attract their attention. Luck wasn’t with her however, and just as she looked quickly in their direction, she realised Bodie was looking directly at her. She saw recognition dawn on him, and before she could think she reacted by making a run for it out the door.

 

Bodie was scanning the crowd near the door, when his gaze stopped at a figure sitting hunched alone at a table. Something about them niggled at the back of his mind and he focused his concentration on them. Then they were looking directly at him and with a start he realised it was Colleen.

He swore as he realised she had seen him and that he knew who she was, and unexpectedly she bolted. Yelling for Doyle he took off in pursuit, fighting his way through the crowd.

He came to a skidding halt outside the door and looked both ways, off to his left he saw a running figure in the distance. Damn she was fast. Doyle came to a halt behind him and he pointed off to the left, “Down that way” was all he said before resuming the chase, Doyle not far behind.

Colleen risked a quick glance behind and wished she hadn’t, they were gaining on her. Then what was left of the rational part of her mind asked why she was running from the two people that were there to protect her. The rest of her couldn’t come up with a good enough explanation so she slowed and came to a stop panting. She turned to face the approaching CI5 agents, adrenalin still pumping through her system and making her feel lightheaded. For some reason the look on Bodie’s face struck her as funny and she burst out laughing, which was probably not the best of moves at that point. She tried to stifle her laughter but found it almost impossible, when his look of anger turned to indignation at the inappropriateness of her reaction.

“I’m sorry ...” she gasped out inbetween fighting for breath, “But you looked just like my History teacher when I failed to turn in an assignment, I couldn’t help it”. she finished, deliberately taking deep breaths to try and calm herself.

This admission, however, failed to make a positive impression on an irate Bodie, who upon fixing her with a what-the-hell-were-you-thinking look proceeded to ask her what the hell she had been thinking. During the five minute dressing down, a somewhat chastened Colleen tried to apologise.

“Look. Bodie. I’m sorry. I realise now that I shouldn’t have run off like that, and that I shouldn’t even have been out here in the first place. But ......”

“Can it!” Bodie interrupted “I don’t want to hear it. We are going back to the apartment, by now Cowley will be there. Tell it to him” he finished coldly

Colleen flinched at the prospect of explaining herself to her Godfather. Right now anywhere else in the entire universe seemed like a good place to be, anywhere but back at the apartment with George Cowley.

Bodie turned and strode back towards the car, leaving Colleen to stare sadly at his retreating back.

Doyle took pity on her, and placing a comforting arm around her shoulders said “Don’t worry, he doesn’t hold a grudge for more than 10 or 15 years. He’ll get over it”

“And that’s supposed to make me feel better?” Colleen asked sadly

“Absolutely” Doyle replied, with somewhat inappropriate cheer in her books.

Colleen simply grunted in reply, but did not shrug out from under Doyle’s arm. They were walking silently back to the car when a scuffling noise followed by a cut off cry from Bodie made Doyle push Colleen aside and draw his gun. He ducked behind a dumpster for cover, scanning the area. The noise of a fight could be heard up ahead.

“Bodie!, Bodie what’s going on up there?!” Doyle yelled

“What’s wrong?” Colleen hissed from where she had landed when pushed, her wrist was somewhat worse for wear as she had automatically put her arm out to break her fall and it was throbbing bad enough to make her feel slightly queasy.

“Don’t know. Stay there” Doyle ordered when he received no reply from Bodie, he moved slowly forward at a crouch, gun at the ready.

Colleen watched anxiously as Doyle moved up the street, she cradled her injured arm wincing at the stabs of pain that shot up it each time she moved slightly and hoping like hell she hadn’t broken it. 

Suddenly Doyle was flung backwards and a sound like a whip crack ricocheted down the street. Colleen sat stunned for a second before screaming out “Ray!?”

She struggled to her feet, ignoring the agony in her wrist, and stumbled to Ray’s side tears of terror already blurring her vision.

“Oh God Ray, please don’t be dead, please don’t be dead” she mumbled as she reached out a violently shaking hand to feel for a pulse. She uttered a sob of relief when she found it, fast but strong. Working awkwardly with her damaged wrist she tried to stem the flow of blood from the wound in his shoulder, when she became aware of running foot steps approaching from the direction of the car. She turned expecting it to be Bodie, and was just about to call out when she realised that the man approaching was a stranger and that he was pointing a gun straight for her head.

“Move away from him Bitch” came the gruff voice, making ‘move’ gestures with the gun.

She held both her hands away from herself and standing, backed away slowly. The man approached Doyle slowly, keeping his gun tired on Colleen, he nudged Doyle with his foot and got no response.

“I think you got him in the heart” Colleen volunteered helpfully

“Shut up Bitch. Did I ask you for an opinion” the man snarled back  
“Just trying to help” Colleen retorted, trying not to act as terrified as she felt. Thoughts of Bodie’s possible fate kept trying to invade her conscious mind, but she forced them down, she had to keep her head clear.

“Jacko?” came a yell from up the street

“Yo” the man in front of her answered

“Get the fuck back here, every cop for miles around is going to be here soon. Is he dead or what?”

“Not yet but he will be soon” Jacko replied lowering the gun and pointing it at Doyle’s head for the coup de grace. Colleen held her breath she dared not close her eyes, she wanted to show no concern for Doyle if her story was to hold up, but she new she would see Doyle’s death for the rest of her life.

“Jacko I can hear sirens, get back here and bring the girl with you. NOW!”

Jacko snarled in frustration, but he uncocked the gun and put it back in his jacket pocket. He stepped over Doyle’s prone form and roughly grabbed Colleen’s arm.

“Move it Bitch” he spat as he pushed her roughly in front of him, “And I would just love for you to make a run for it” he said laughing nastily as he put his hand in his pocket and took hold of the gun, pointing it at her.

Colleen did her best not to let the relief she was feeling show on her face, Doyle’s fate was still not certain. They came out of the narrow road, and Colleen saw a black van parked to the left with the back doors open. Jacko planted a hand on her back and pushed her towards it, she could see a figure lying in the back, Bodie!?”

Another push to the back accompanied by a demand to get in the back. A few wise cracks came to mind, but Colleen thought it was probably better not to provoke her captor.

As soon as she got in she realised that Bodie was not conscious, and she thought she smelt a strong chemical stink, before a hand loomed up in front of her and covered her mouth and nose with a pad. Stars danced before her eyes as she was forced to breath in the strong smelling stuff, ‘Chloroform’ was her last coherent thought before darkness closed in on her.

 

Doyle waited until he could no longer hear the retreating footsteps before trying to sit up. Pain immediately radiated outward from the bullet hole in he shoulder, eliciting a loud groan and flashes before his eyes. He fumbled in his jacket pocket for his R/T and on the second try managed to hit the transmit button.

“Base ...this .. is 4/5. Man down, I repeat, man down” he managed to gasp out, before he too succumbed to darkness.

 

Light intruded upon his world again when he heard a familiar voice, although he wasn’t sure it was one he wanted to hear just now.

“Well lad, so you’ve decided to join us again” Cowley said in an entirely too reasonable tone, given the circumstances.

“I’m still deciding if I’ll stay or not” he answered in a weak voice, trying to put a smile on a face that would only accept a grimace, pain had started to intrude on his awareness.

Cowley noticed the tightening of the skin on Doyle’s face and new that the painkillers must be wearing off. “The Doctors have finished with you. You were lucky, the bullet passed straight through, narrowly missed the bone. They want you in here for a couple of days.” he stated, then sat back to wait for the argument.

Doyle saw the look of suprise when he didn’t immediately argue the point about his confinement to hospital, but he knew damn well he wasn’t going to win an argument with Cowley.

“What ever they say, I could use the sleep” he replied casually

Cowley looked at Doyle suspiciously knowing full well that he was giving in too easily, but unable to push the point. “Just so as you don’t try and sneak out as soon as my back is turned” Cowley warned.

“Wouldn’t dream of it” Doyle replied, closing his eyes and relaxing back on the hospital bed, the picture of guileless innocence.

Cowley didn’t buy it for a second, but decided to let the matter drop. He knew damn well that Doyle intended to go off on his own to look for Bodie and Colleen, and since there was little he could do to stop him short of having him locked up for the duration he decided to give his tacit permission.

“In that case, I’m putting you on extended sick leave. I’ll keep you posted” Cowley finished before he turned to leave. Pausing at the door he turned “I hear Tommy is coming up for some leave, maybe you could spend it with him, you know how he hates spending his leave alone”

If he hadn’t been feeling so rotten Doyle would have laughed himself silly at such a ridiculous statement. Tommy didn’t take leave, and even if he did, he wasn’t exactly a social animal. Completely unstable loner was a more accurate description. However, Doyle realised that Cowley was giving him veiled permission to go out on his own. Well that was just fine by him, and even if he would normally have gone out of his way to avoid being saddled with Tommy, he had to admit that the guy was an asset to have on your side if you were contemplating a little shady work just beyond the normally wide latitude allowed CI5 agents.

“I’ll think about it” he replied offhandedly.

Cowley gave him one of his penetrating looks, then giving the ceiling a why-me look left the room.

Doyle thought about going for a phone, then remembered that he still had his R/T somewhere. With a lot of wincing and cursing he managed to find it, and radioed in to base.

“4/5 to Base”

“Base here 4/5, aren’t you supposed to be in bed?”

“Very funny. It’ll take more than a bullet in the shoulder to get rid of me. Patch me through to Tommy will you, there’s a dear”

“My Hero, and I’m not your dear 4/5. And if Cowley finds out about this I swear I’ll kill you”

“Michelle darling your violent tendencies are showing again. I promise I wont tell if you wont” Doyle replied with a smile.

“You leave my tendencies out of it, or I’ll exercise them on you next time I see you in the gym” Michelle retorted, humour in her voice, “Through now 4/5, Base out. Oh and Ray, good luck”

“Thanks Michelle. Tommy, you there mate?” Doyle queried  
“I’m here. What’s up? I here from the boss I’ve got some leave coming”

As if he didn’t know Doyle thought “So have I, just thought you might like to do some fishing while you were on holiday”

“Sounds like fun, are we talking big game here? I’ll bring all the gear” 

“Everything except the rocket launcher Tommy m’lad. you know how it is, the boss hates casual destruction of the environment” Doyle said hastily, Tommy sounded altogether too enthusiastic.

There was a disappointed silence on the other end followed by a reluctant agreement.

“You spoil all the fun Doyle, you know that”

“Sorry to rain on your parade Tommy, but the fish were after happen to have some friends of ours that might get hurt. I’ll meet you at the usual place tomorrow morning 10am, I’ll try and sneak past the Hitler in the all.”

“I could come and bust you out” Tommy put in helpfully

Doyle winced, he actually sounded serious “That’s ok, I can handle it” He said hastily

“Oh, ok if you insist. Catch you then” Tommy finished before breaking the connection. he never was one for proper procedure.

Lowering the R/T to the bed Doyle closed his eyes, trying to plan ahead, fatigue and pain however were getting the better of him so he decided he had better get some sleep if he was going to be of any use to Bodie and Colleen tomorrow.


	4. 20th February

Darkness greeted Colleen as she opened her eyes and her first thought was that she was dead, then pain made a welcome intrusion into the blackness and she knew she was still alive. After all, her father always said the dead feel no pain. A sob was wrenched from her as she remembered that her father was dead, and would feel nothing ever again.

Colleen tried to move, more an involuntary jerking of her body than anything else. She was greeted by a chorus of protest, with what she eventually identified as her left arm making the loudest protest of all. She moaned inarticulately as she again tried to sit up. In doing so she discovered that she was lying face down on a cold dirt floor with her left arm trapped beneath her.

Using her free arm she managed to lever herself onto her back, sending another shooting pain along her right arm as blood flow was restored. She lay trembling from the effort.

Jesus God, how long had she been out? Hours? minutes? It felt like days.

Feeling gingerly for her watch she discovered it gone. Bastards! At least they had left her the bandages on her wrist. She cursed to herself, she absolutely hated not knowing what the time was.  
Shivers started to run down her body and she realised how cold it was. She had to get off her back. Too much of her was touching the cold floor, allowing her body heat to escape.

A muffled groan startled her out of her introspection.

Bodie! It had to be Bodie.

Elation swept through her, she wasn’t alone in this nightmare. A snide little voice mentioned the fact that they wouldn’t be in this nightmare if it wasn’t for her stupidity. She ruthlessly squashed the feeling down, now was not the time for recriminations. The small voice just laughed.

“Bod......” she croaked, a dry rasp in the desert that was her mouth. After working her jaws to produce a little saliva she tried again.

“Bodie, is that you? Are you OK”? silly question she thought, but she was fresh out of witty repartee.

When there was no reply she decided that now was as good a time as any to see if she could get her unco-operative body to move. She had to see if Bodie was OK.

Slowly and carefully she levered herself to a sitting position, her ragged breathing sounding terribly loud in her ears. She paused for a moment letting the spinning slow to a manageable speed, along with the dancing lights in front of her eyes.

After the brief rest she drew her legs up and managed to get herself onto all fours. Moving slowly with her left arm extended in front of her, she crawled in the direction the sound had originated from.

After a few meters she encountered a solid object wincing as the impact jarred her wrist. Investigation brought her to the conclusion it must be the wall. Turning slightly and putting her shoulder to the wall she moved off again, sure she was going in the right direction.

A few more meters and she encountered another solid object, this one however warm and groaned when she touched it.

Gently she shook Bodie, he flinched away from her.

“Hey, it’s me. It’s Colleen. It’s OK” she could feel him shivering also. By feel she found he was lying on his side with his hands cuffed behind his back. She winced, that had to be uncomfortable. She had to get him into a sitting position. Just as she was trying to figure out the best way to do that, with her bad wrist, she heard booted footsteps from outside the room. Reacting quickly she scooted away from Bodie’s prone form, she did not want to be connected with him in their minds.

Blinding light stabbed into her eyes causing her to cry out and cover her face. She heard a key turn in a lock and a heavy door open. Blinking tears from her eyes she saw a blurred shape move into the room.

“The bitch is awake. Don’t know about the spook though” said a German accented male voice.

“We’ll take the spook first” replied another male voice from behind the door, this one Irish.

The German moved towards Bodie and lifting his prone form with a grunt of effort dragged him out of the room, as Colleen watched helplessly.

The door was pulled shut and relocked. She was plunged back into darkness again as the light was turned off. Only this time she was alone without even the presence of another to comfort her.

 

Doyle woke with a start, a presence in the room making his internal alarm jangle, albeit quietly. He opened his eyes and focused on the form standing next to the bed, then realised that the person was holding his arm and looking at a watch.

“I’m sorry to wake you Mr Doyle, but I have to do the morning ob’s” said a small woman in a nurses uniform.

“What time is it?” he mumbled sleepily

“8:15” she replied

“Morning or night? what’s the date?” he asked confused, the artificial lighting making it harder to judge wether he had slept a few hours, or the whole night through.

“Morning” she said, giving him a concerned look

He gave her a reassuring smile “I was just confused, that’s all. I came in last night. I fell asleep and wasn’t sure how long I’d been out.”

The explanation seemed to satisfy her and she smiled, laying his hand back down on the bed.

“That’s all right then. It said on your chart that you had a mild concussion, so I was concerned you might be having a delayed reaction. So I’ll just take your temperature and you can go back to sleep. Ok?” matching actions to words she deftly slipped the thermometer in his mouth as he opened it to protest.

She ignored the irritated look he gave her, waiting the required time before removing it and noting he results on the chart.

“That’s all for now. The day nurse will be around shortly with your medication.”

“Thanks allot” he said sarcastically

“Tisk tisk” she said waving her finger at him, “You be a good boy for Pam, or I’ll hear about it. You wouldn’t believe the things a nurse can do to make a patients life difficult around here. So, do you promise to behave?”

“Ok, ok, I promise” Doyle said holding up his hands in surrender

“Good boy” the nurse replied patting him on the cheek before leaving.

That was it though Doyle, he had to leave now. No telling what sort of crap they were going to fill him with.

After much groaning and wincing, he had managed to get himself dressed. No mean feat with a busted shoulder. Now to get himself out of the hospital without being stopped, and to the meeting place with Tommy.

Opening he door a crack and peering outside, he saw the usual hospital bustle in the corridor. Waiting for a relatively clear interval, he slipped out into the corridor and made his way as inconspicuously as possible to the elevator, where he punched the ground floor button.

Making his way quickly to the entrance he hailed a cab and gave the driver the address of the meeting place, then settled back into the seat and tried to ignore the throbbing pain in his shoulder.

Doyle had the driver pull up a block away from the abandoned factory where he was to meet Tommy, he was early and he could use the short walk to work the kinks out of his body.

Strolling casually up the long driveway to the factory he spotted Tommy’s black Capri parked up near the building, the drivers side door open, Tommy himself was nowhere in sight. Doyle continued walking at an easy pace, hands at his side, it didn’t pay to excite or startle Tommy unnecessarily.

“Come on Tommy, show yourself. I’m not in the mood for hide and seek” Doyle called

“You’re taking the fun out of everything” came he reply from some distance ahead.

Doyle ignored that and reaching the car, deliberately turned his back on the building and leaned on the rear of the vehicle.

He casually looked behind at the sound of approaching footsteps, to the sight of Tommy, in his usual scruffy jeans, sneakers and jacket with a semi-automatic slug nonchalantly over his shoulder.

“I recognised the bastard that put the hole in me” Doyle started, getting straight down to business, “What do you say we pay him a visit and see what he knows?”

Tommy grinned evilly “I couldn’t think of a better way to spend and afternoon” he replied cheerfully as he went around to the drivers side and threw the gun in the back seat.

“There’s a present for you in the glove compartment” he said as Doyle got in the car

“Just in case they wouldn’t let you keep yours in the chop shop” 

“Thanks” Doyle answered, ignoring his friends colourful metaphor for the hospital. He had been feeling rather naked without a weapon within reach.

“So, where are we headed” Tommy asked

“This time of day he’ll be down with his bookie, turn left here” Doyle replied

 

Bodie felt himself being lifted and dragged from the room, and deliberately stayed limp, trying not to make the mans job any easier. When they were outside and the door closed and locked, his other arm was taken by someone else and he was dragged up a short flight of stairs. The weight of his body was putting a painful strain on his cramped shoulders but he did his best to ignore it.

Surreptitiously he tried to glimpse his surroundings as they went, but his eyes were slow to adjust and he was only able to see blurred images. He was roughly shoved into a chair, someone threw water in his face. Blinking his eyes and shaking his head as if he had just come around, he raised his eyes to glare balefully at his captors. 

Standing directly in front of him were two men, one wearing fatigues with a holstered gun at his right hip and a hunting knife on the other. He was relaxed but ready for trouble. Bodie pegged him for a professional soldier with his parade rest stance.

The other was dressed in civvies and was holding a gun pointed at Bodie’s head. Bodie recognised Brian Patrick even though the photo he had seen was 10 years out of date. ‘Good’ he thought to himself, ‘now I get the chance to take you down you murdering bastard’. Glancing behind them Bodie saw two other people in the room. Working to bring his eyes into proper focus he made out a young man and a woman. The young man looked nervous and was worrying at the zipper on his jacket, the woman was a petite redhead who was leaning casually in the doorway. Bodie’s attention was diverted by a question from the civilian.

“Why were you trailing the girl”?

Stubborn silence was his only reply.

“Look, we can do this ......”

“The easy way or the hard way. Yeah, I’ve heard it all before” Bodie interrupted with a touch of insolence in his voice “and since I’ve always been one to do things the hard way, why don’t you get on with it. We all know the drill”

Instead of the expected blow to the head his outburst earned him a vicious punch to the solar plexus, winding him temporarily.

“I’m sorry you feel that way. I guess it’s going to be a long day” replied the civilian. He gestured to the man standing next to him, who proceeded to deliver another powerful blow.

An exclamation of pain was forced from between Bodies clenched teeth as this one landed right on the side of his ribs.

Again the question was asked and again Bodie refused to answer, and again the punch was delivered with the same force and precision.

By about the fourth blow Bodie was sure he heard an audible crack, it sure hurt a hell of a lot more. He wished they were hitting him on the head, things would be getting fuzzy about now, but the mercenary was an expert and kept all his blows aimed at the body. It caused the same amount of pain without having to worry about your captive losing consciousness.

********

Colleen sat huddled in the darkness, trying not to let the rising hysteria get a grip on her.

“Now is not the time to loose it girl.” she spoke aloud for the sake of hearing her own voice, anything was better than the silent blackness.

“You got everyone into this mess, now think of a way to get everyone out of it”

She tried not to think about what might be happening to Bodie, but her ever helpful imagination kept supplying some rather graphic images for her entertainment.

Would she even see him alive again. And Doyle, was he dead or alive. Her guilt kept beating her over the head with a very large stick Again she forced that snide little voice back into it’s cage so she could think in peace.

The best course of action until proven false was to continue with her masquerade as Mary Scott, friend of Bridgett and would-be convert to the cause. That way she had at least a chance at them not killing her out of hand. Then just maybe she would have some time to think up a plan.

Time was crawling on it’s snail like pace, she had no idea how long it had been since they had come and taken Bodie away. Without warning her eyes were again assaulted by a bright light. The door was unlocked and someone came in and dropped their burden on the floor. A grunt issued from it . Colleen almost wept with relief that Bodie was still alive, but managed with effort to keep her face impassive. 

She flinched as the man approached her “Your turn bitch” he said as he roughly grabbed her right arm and hauled her to her feet. As she was frog marched out the door she glanced quickly down at Bodie, he was breathing fast and shallow, she hoped he wasn’t to badly hurt.

As the German hauled her up the stairs she decided to though it out and play brave.

“Look you big Ox I can walk on my own you know, I’ve been doing it for quite a while now” she tried to remove her arm from his hand.

His only response was to painfully tighten his vice like grip.

Colleen gritted her teeth, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of seeing how much it hurt. He led her across a large warehouse to a door, then on down a narrow corridor with what looked like offices opening off of it. They entered one of the offices at the end of the corridor.  
Standing in the room were three other people. She instantly recognised the two men from the Underground and it took most of her remaining self control not to give herself away 

She was led to a chair and told to sit. Her escort then let go of her arm with one last warning squeeze and went to stand beside the man she recognised as Brian Patrick.

“Well, what have we here?” Brian waved the woman over, she handed him a plastic bag.

He walked over and up ended it on the table. Out came her gun, its magazine and her wallet.

She was very relieved that she had thought to leave all her own ID at the apartment and get a fake student ID off her friend.

Brian picked up the wallet off the table and rifled through it.

“So, you are Mary Scott, University student. What were you doing asking questions about Bridgett at the Crown & Anchor?” his voice cracked like a whip, making her jump. He tossed the wallet back on the table and stared her In the face.

“I’m a friend of hers. She contacted me the day before the hit and said that if any thing happened to her I was to make myself known as a replacement.” she replied putting as much nonchalance in her voice as she could muster

“I find that hard to believe. Bridgett would not have compromised security like that” Brian replied conversationally

“Hey pal, I’m just telling it like it happened, scouts honour”

“Oh? and how were you going to find out if anything had ‘happened’ to her.”?

“She said she’d ring me and give me a code,” Colleen shrugged, “seemed a little cloak and dagger to me, but I said I’d go along with it”

“And what was this, code that Bridgett was supposed to give you”

“Why should I tell you”?

“Because if you don’t my friend here will make life unpleasant for you, and I do so like to avoid unpleasantness if I can”

“All right, all right” she said hurriedly as the German started to advance on her. “Gees. Keep ya shirt on. She said the code was Sierra, Foxtrot, Zulu 9352”

Stunned silence greeted her reply. Knowing full well the reason for it, she asked innocently “Why? what’s the problem?”

Brian recovered from his shock first “She gave you that code?!” incredulity colouring his voice.

“Yeah. Why? What’s it to ya?” Colleen replied

They ignored her and left the room, shutting the door behind them. They went into a whispered conference. She watched them through the frosted glass, trying to make out who was who from their silhouettes. A couple of minutes latter they re-entered the room, the German did not look happy. He scowled at her as he walked past to stand on the other side of the room.

Patrick leaned his hip on the table, arms folded. “Your story has some credibility, although my German friend over there would disagree. She told you none of our names?”

“No. She said that would compromise security. She said if she did not contact me with the code, I was to go to the Crown and Anchor and ask for her. Someone would contact me from there”

“So what were CI5 doing there?”

“Who?”

“CI5. That man down in the cellar is a CI5 agent, anti-terrorist. What were they doing there?” Patrick repeated impatiently

“Search me. I was just doing what I was told when these two guys come up and started asking questions. So I run for it. They chase me, they catch me. End of story. Then these other guys show up and all hell breaks loose. The rest as they say is history.

“As I said, your story has a certain credibility. But not enough I’m afraid to warrant us risking telling you anything at this point. Our work is not yet finished and nothing can be allowed to jeopardise it”

The German mumbled something about common sense to himself but Brian chose to ignore it.

“Hey, I can understand that. Just don’t put me back in that room with the spook, he gives me the creeps.”

“I’m afraid you have no choice on that count, it’s the only secure place we have at the moment. You will have to stay there until we are finished our work and we can take you back to Ireland for more questioning. When we will find out once and for all if you are who you say you are.”

Colleen put on her best expression of disappointed innocence “Well shit, if I have to go back down there at least give me something to eat & drink. I’m starving, and that stuff you knocked me out with has left me dry as a bone. Don’t think much of the service round here.”

Brian gestured to the young man she new as Terry. “Take her to the mess, get her what she needs, then take her back to the cellar.” He gave her a sardonic nod of the head “We wouldn’t want our guest to think we lacked hospitality”

Ignoring the sarcasm Colleen got up and followed Terry to the door, conscious of the Germans glare following her.

“Oh Mary” Brian called after them

“Yeah”

“How did you come by that?” he asked indicating her heavily bandaged arm.

“This, tripped and fell down some stairs”

“Well we’ll have to do something about that if you’re going to work for us. Can’t have you tripping down stairs at a vital moment”

Colleen ignored that and turned to catch up to Terry, mocking laughter from the German following after her.

They turned left and went back up the corridor to another of the old offices, it had been commandeered as a mess room with camping equipment set up.

Terry crouched over to one of the packs and removed two sealed bars and a small hip flask from it. While his back was turned Colleen filched a fork, a packet of gum and a Zippo that were lying on the table, secreting them in her jacket pocket.

“You got the time?” she asked Terry

“Ten past three” he replied glancing at his wrist watch

Terry got up and handed Colleen the bars and flask “Don’t give any to the spook, you’ll just be wasting it”

“You got to be kidding. Why would I share with him” Colleen managed to say inspite of her shock. She had not actually thought in terms of them killing Bodie outright. But it made sense of course, he’d seen them and could identify them.

Taking her arm Terry led Colleen out of the mess and back down to the cellar, after turning on the light he unlocked the door. Covering the door with his gun he quickly pushed it open.

Colleen gave him an amused look “My, my aren’t we jumpy. You didn’t really expect him to come charging out ready to escape did you. Last time I saw him he couldn’t move, let alone escape” she put all the scorn she could in her voice.

Terry’s expression became angry “Shut up. Just shut up and get back in there” he shouted shoving her with some force back into the room and wrenching the door shut, cutting off a stream of foul language.

Colleen smiled to herself. He was the weak link. Now if only she could capitalise on that.

As soon as she was sure he had left Colleen turned her attention to Bodie, who hadn’t moved since she had been taken. Securing the flask and bars in her jacket pocket, she took the lighter from her other pocket and flicked it open, a small flare steadied into a flame big enough to see by. Orienting on Bodie, Colleen found he hadn’t moved since she had been taken. She moved toward him holding the lighter at eye level.

“Bodie, are you OK?” she asked anxiously, when she reached his side.

“No” he replied sourly “I think the bastards have broken a rib”

Colleen swore to herself, that was all she needed Bodie out of action. She’d been counting on his help with any plan she came up with.

“Well then, I’ll just have to get you out of those cuffs and see what I can do”

“Oh, and how do you plan to do that. Happen to have stumbled across a key have you.?”

Ignoring his sarcasm Colleen carefully placed the lighter down on the ground and shut the lid, plunging them back into darkness, she could do this part in the dark and she had no idea how much fuel was left in the lighter. Taking the fork from her pocket she proceeded to bend one of the tines to a ninety degree angle from the rest. Then feeling for the lock she inserted the tine and tried to pick it. Eventually she heard a click and the left cuff fell open. She smiled to herself in satisfaction, she still had the touch.  
“Is that wise?” Bodie asked “You’re only going to have to put them back on again when they come back, and that will leave me in the same situation”

“Well then, isn’t it just lucky for us that I also have a solution to that problem as well” she replied, resentment at his attitude creeping into her voice. Taking out the packet of gum she placed a piece in her mouth and chewed for a few minutes.

“Now, we have to get you on your back, I have to check out that rib and see if I can strap it”

Moving around to his head she slipped her hands under his arms and as gently as possible lifted his torso up and layed him on his back. a sharp indrawn breath said that he was in some pain. Her wrist also gave her some trouble, but she ignored it as best she could.

“Sorry. Which side?”

“Right” 

Moving to his right she lifted his shirt and gently probed his side. He flinched when she reached the bottom rib. Pressing a little harder she could feel no significant amount of give in the bone. “I don’t think it’s broken, just badly bruised or possibly cracked.” Feeling for the lighter again she lit it, she had to see if the skin was broken. There was an ugly bruise forming but no blood. Good. “The skin isn’t broken. I can use the bandages from my wrist to strap it but that’s about all. I’ll have to get you sitting up against the wall to do that. This is going to hurt you more than it hurts me”

“Very funny” he replied between gasps

Flicking the lighter closed she placed it back in her pocket. Bending Colleen grasped him under the arms again and dragged him until her back came up against the wall. Breathing heavily she propped him up, then proceeded to unwrap the bandage from around her sprained wrist, and re-roll it. There wasn’t enough bandage to do a very good job, but maybe if she padded it out, it would help. She took off her jacket and sweat shirt, then her T-shirt, shivering as the cold air touched her skin and blushing inspite of the darkness. After putting her sweat shirt and jacket back on she folded up the T-shirt into a pad. Straddling Bodies’ outstretched legs she took a steadying breath, knelt down and started to unbutton his shirt one handedly, trying to ignore how close they were. Good God woman, now is not the time to be thinking about that, she told herself sternly. Get a grip on your hormones.

After fumbling with the third button again, Bodie put his hand over hers. “I’ll do that” he said, his voice neutral. Colleen let go of the shirt and tried to get her composure back.

“OK” he said when he had finished

Colleen placed the folded T-shirt where she thought the problem was, felt for Bodies hand and placed it on the pad “Hold that” she said whilst starting to wrap the bandage.

“Breath in and hold it. This has got to be tight to do any good” 

She heard him draw in his breath and as quickly as possible she finished the job, trying to be neat so it wouldn’t show under his shirt.

“There. You can breath out now”

“Are you sure you couldn’t have gotten it any tighter” he said gasping “I can still breath a little”

Colleen stood up angrily and moved away from him “Look I don’t care how you feel about this but until we get out of here, we’re going to have to work together. After that you won’t have to bare my presence ever again. I’ll ask Uncle George to assign someone else if that will make you happy”

“So you can get them killed too” Bodie replied heartlessly

Colleen gasped as the barb sank in, re-awakening her own painful guilt. They had carefully avoided mentioning Doyle, the subject of his possible death hanging like an axe between them. Well now the axe had fallen, and something in Bodies voice said that if Doyle was dead then she would forever have his hatred and contempt. Even if they never saw each other again she would be constantly reminded by her own conscience that her thoughtless actions had caused a mans death.

Colleen felt her way to the opposite wall and sat with her back to it, knees drawn up and hugging herself. Hot tears flowed silently down her face as all her pent up emotions and stress finally broke through her defences. Colleen put her head in her arms and gave in to the raking sobs, not caring if Bodie heard.

After a while she quieted and the silence grew heavy, but they both seemed reluctant to break it.

Bodie could hear Colleen’s ragged breathing and chided himself for his cruel comment, however much it may have been justified he should have kept it to himself. The girl had done a good job so far, cool and fast on her feet, although he now realised how much of that had been sheer will power on her part. He tried to put Doyle’s possible fate out of his mind, he would have to deal with that when he knew what it was, but he kept feeling like an amputee with a phantom limb, expecting Him to show up any second.

Any peace overture would have to come from him, he’d hurt her pretty deeply. Contrary to popular CI5 canon he was not really into relationships purely for sex, well not all the time. He didn’t go out with someone twice if he didn’t like them more than a little. She was obviously attracted to him, and it was just the threat of George Cowley’s wrath that was keeping him from reciprocating those feelings

Levering himself up the wall slowly and painfully he made his way over to Colleen, following the sound of her ragged breathing. When he felt her presence near he knelt in front of her. Reaching out until he encountered her legs he moved his hand up until he came to her hand, which he took in his. Colleen jumped at the contact and would have pulled her hand away if he hadn’t tightened his grip.

“Look, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that, and you’re right we do need to work together on this one. So, we call a truce until this is all over, we can deal with the outcome then”.

Colleen lifted her head from her knees “You’re just going to forget about it, just like that?”

“Yes, because I have to”

“But, what if .......” Bodie placed his hand over her mouth, silencing her

“Don’t. I have to believe that he’s alive, and so do you. We don’t mention it again, agreed?”

“Agreed” Colleen answered in a small voice.

“Good” Bodie noticed that Colleen was shivering again, he wasn’t too warm himself.

Letting go of her hand he eased himself down to a sitting position beside Colleen “Mind if I made an improper suggestion?” he asked, putting some of that familiar leer into his voice. He was rewarded by a small chuckle from Colleen.

“Suggest away” she replied somewhat cheered at his change in demeanour

“Well, since we’re both freezing to death here, why don’t you come here and we can share body heat”.

“Well obviously I’m not going to refuse an offer like that. Besides you know how I feel about you anyway. I made it pretty clear the other night. But don’t worry” she said impudently “I won’t start anything you can’t finish”

“Cheeky bitch. The only things stopping me are Cowley and this cursed rib, not to mention being caught ‘in flagrante delicto’ by those terrorists. Which would probably blow what ever story you fed them. Now come here wench” he said pulling her over to him.

“Bitch am I” she said in mock outrage “I’ll make you pay for that” but she let him pull her close. She settled between his legs and he wrapped his arms about her taking her cold hands in his, being careful of her wrist. Leaning her head back on his shoulder, she wished she could wrap her own arms around him, for the first time in days she felt completely safe, even if it was just an illusion it was one she would indulge in for as long as she was allowed.

“Why is Uncle George stopping you” she asked 

“Hm?”

“I said why is Uncle George stopping you. Have you gone deaf or something”

“No. Just enjoying the company”

“Well answer the question then”

“Because ‘Uncle George’ stated that he would have my guts for garters if I so much as looked at his Goddaughter the wrong way. That’s why, and I for one would like to keep my insides just where they are”

“He really said that?” she asked suprise in her voice

“Not in so many words maybe, but that was the general impression”

“Well, I’ll just have to have a little chat to him about that won’t I.”

“You can’t be serious, He’ll kill me for sure”

“No, he won’t. Uncle George will just have to learn the hard way that he can’t interfere with my personal life. He can’t be any harder to educate than my father, he hated every one of my boyfriends, even the ones in the service. You’re not afraid of Uncle George are you?” she asked in a mock incredulous voice, widening her eyes for effect.

“ Damn right, you don’t know Cowley. You’d have more chance of persuading the tide not to come in than pursuade Cowley to do something he doesn’t want to do, and his bite is much worse than his bark. I’ve been on the receiving end of his bark, I don’t want to even try his bite.”

“We’ll see” Colleen replied, quiet confidence and determination in her voice.

“Good luck. But if I turn up dead one day with my insides missing I’ll blame it on you”

“Deal” she replied laughing quietly.

“By the way, you still haven’t explained to me how you’re going to deal with these” Bodie asked, dangling the cuffs in front of her face

“Watch and be amazed” she replied taking the empty cuff and pulling it closer. Taking the gum she then pushed it into the locking ratchets gumming them up. Then by way of a demonstration she closed the cuff and then opened it again “Viola”

“I’m mildly impressed. Where did you learn that?” Bodie asked

“Only mildly, you wound me. I dated a magician who was into slight of hand and escapology, he taught me a couple of things. Who knew they’d come in handy.”

“Well I’m not sure about teaching nice girls things about handcuffs, but I for one am glad you didn’t skip class on that day”  
“Who says I’m a nice girl?”

“You mean your not a nice girl?”

“Well that’s something you’ll have to find out for yourself, isn’t it” Colleen replied settling back against his chest and closing her eyes.

Bodie didn’t seem to have a quick answer for that one and Colleen would have given anything to see the expression on his face.

The companionable silence was interrupted by an exclamation from Colleen “Damn”

“What’s the matter”

“I’m an idiot, that’s what”

“I won’t comment on that, but why”

Removing her hands from his, Colleen reached into her jacket pocket. “Because I forgot all about these” she said

“Forgot about what” Bodie asked

“Food and drink” she replied

“You’re right, you are an idiot. I’m starving. Not to mention dying of thirst”

“Keep that up and you won’t be getting any”

“Really. I happen to be bigger than you, so would you like to bet on that”

“Bully”

“I’m a starving man my dear, and a starving man must do what a starving man must do”

“Oh Please. Spare me. Here have some before you expire” she said opening one of the bars and breaking it in half. Bodie took his half and chewed it slowly.

Before starting in on hers Colleen fumbled with the lighter until she got a decent flame going, the room was thrown into stark relief shadows dancing on the walls and ceiling. She set the lighter down carefully “And she said let there be light, and there was. God I hate the dark” she said  
“Is that wise. What if they come back and see the light”

“You know, I don’t really care at this point, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to sleep with the light off again” Colleen replied before taking a bit of her own half of the ration bar.

“Fine by me” Bodie said “What ever makes you happy”

“Oh thankyou, thankyou, thankyou” replied Colleen.

“So what’s to drink” Bodie asked, ignoring the sarcasm. He heard the sound of a metal lid unscrewing, then someone choking and spluttering.

“Hey” he said alarmed “Are you all right”

“Whisky” came the barely audible whisper from Colleen as she gasped for breath.

“Oh” he replied, smiling to himself, wisely choosing not to comment. “Sounds good though, I think I’ll have some” and reached down to take it from her shaking hand before she did something truly disastrous like spill it. “Hmm. Not bad” he mused after taking a sip

It took a couple of minutes but Colleen finally stopped coughing.

“More?” asked Bodie, placing the flask under her nose.

“Hell no” she said pushing his hand away “Are you trying to kill me or something”

“Refusing a good malt whisky, Cowley would have something to say about that”

“We’ll lets not tell him then. I’m sure that after this he’ll have much more to think about” Colleen replied putting on a suggestive voice.

Now it was Bodie’s turn to choke, which set Colleen of into a fit of laughter.

After he had recovered Bodie decided to change the subject.

“So what sort of story did you spin them anyway” he asked

“Well I simply told them that I was a friend of Bridgett’s and that she had contacted me before the hit went down and said that if anything happened to her I was to set myself up as a replacement”

“And they believed you?!” Bodie asked incredulously.

“Well I sort of had the icing on the cake. They asked me to prove it so you know what I said?”

“No, what, I’m dying to know”

“Sierra Foxtrot Zulu 9352”

Silence greeted her announcement.

“You know, I got the same reaction from them. Funny that!”

“Just how far into that file did you get” Bodie asked, a sneaking suspicion beginning to form

“The whole thing. I speed read, and I have a very good memory” Colleen replied tapping the side of her head

“You do realise I’m going to have to tell Cowley all this don’t you”

“Is that really necessary. I mean, I won’t tell if you won’t tell”

“It doesn’t work like that in this business”

“But won’t he be just a little bit cross that you were careless enough to leave that file around for me to find” Colleen said turning her head and batting her eyelids at him.

“Oh, so it’s blackmail is it”

“Call it leverage. Blackmail is such an ugly word don’t you think?. But seriously does it really matter how we get out of this, as long as we do get out?”

“Ok, Ok. for now we’ll leave it alone. You know you’d probably do well in this business, you have a facility for bending the truth to breaking point”

“Well you never know, I might just join up, it looks like you boys need someone to look after you”

Bodie decided that he wouldn’t take that comment seriously and remained silent.

Bodie’s silence intrigued Colleen but she decided that later would be a good time to take the subject up again, she sensed that he had not taken her seriously, but the idea had struck a cord that rang true. To be able to make a difference, possibly even to prevent what had happened to her ever happening to somebody else, appealed to her. She had been accepted as a cadet for training with the Police and had graduated from the Police Training Collage, she had no illusions that CI5 would be as easy, but she had to try anyway. The only real obstacle she could see to being accepted for training was Uncle George. But she would deal with that mountain when she came to it.

Taking the flask from Bodie’s hands she re-wrapped his arms around her.

“I don’t know about you but I intend to get some sleep, I have a feeling we’re going to need it tomorrow”

“Oh?. And what’s happening tomorrow?”

“We blow this joint, that’s what”

“Uhuh. And just how are we going to do that. Politely ask to leave?”

“You know, one of these days your mouth is going to get you into serious trouble, if it hasn’t already. If you must know I intend to bluff my way out. They mentioned that they still have a job to do, that’s why they locked me back up down here. I figure they have to leave someone here to guard us and I think that will be Terry. I have a feeling he’s not in Brian’s good books at the moment. He’s their weak link, I think I can take him.”

“And what if you’re wrong?”

“Then I’m wrong, and I guess we have to sit tight and wait for the cavalry. But my father always told me never to wait for the cavalry, because unlike in the movies they never arrive on time. Are you always this negative, or is it just for my benefit?”

“No. Sorry. Just my rib getting to me I guess”

“Uhuh” Colleen was sure this wasn’t the case. From the way Bodie handled the beating she figured he was not a man to let pain get to him when it would do no good. She guessed that he was still angry about Doyle and couldn’t help digging at her. She couldn’t blame him, he probably wasn’t thinking anything she hadn’t thought herself. She would just have to try to ignore it.

“So, like I said I’m going to get some sleep” She made a move to get up and move away

“And where do you think you’re going?” Bodie asked, reaching out to stop her.

“To find somewhere to sleep” Colleen replied carefully not looking at him

“Then you can stay here. You won’t sleep by yourself, it’s too cold, you’ll just freeze and so will I” Bodie squeezed her arm by way of a silent apology and gently pulled her back into the circle of his arms.

Colleen sat rigidly not allowing herself to be placated, but grateful for the warmth all the same.

Bodie relaxed against the wall but Colleen did not do the same, she had lent back on his shoulder but had not relaxed. Well, he thought, she would just have to get over it. Bodie closed his eyes and slowed his breathing, feigning sleep. Eventually he felt her body relax as she gave in to the inevitable and slept. He himself however, wasn’t going to sleep tonight, Someone needed to stand, or sit at least, watch incase their captors took it into their heads to do some midnight interrogation. Besides he was so keyed up that despite his injury, it would have taken more than was in that small flask to knock him out for the count. He had gone without sleep countless times before and this was no different, he would still be ready for anything that was thrown at him when the time came.

 

The scrape of boots on concrete instantly brought Bodie out of the light doze he had entered, someone was coming down the stairs. Moving his arm slowly he put a hand over Colleens mouth and gently shook her awake. Her startled cry was muffled and she looked back at him wild eyed.  
“They’re coming” he whispered, removing his hand.

Colleen nodded, calming herself with deep breaths and proceeded to extricate herself from his embrace, she turned and kissed him quickly on the lips “For luck” before pocketing the flask and using the lighter to move to the other side of the room where she slipped it into her pocket and sat down pulling the sleave of her sweatshirt over her now unbandaged wrist and pretending to go back to sleep. After snapping the doctored cuffs back in place, Bodie did the same just before the light was switched on.

The door swung open to reveal no one standing in the doorway, just the muzzle of a gun nosing around the corner. The German followed the gun out into the room, keeping it trained on Colleen. 

She pretended to wake with a start, blinking in the light.

“OK” he said glancing back to the door.

Terry entered carrying another ration bar and a canteen which he tossed in Colleen’s direction

“If this is the complementary breakfast, I still don’t think much of the service around here” she complained.

“Take it or leave it bitch. I really don’t care” sneered the German “If I had my way you’d be going the same way as the spook.”

“Why, what a thing to say” she replied batting her eyelids at him innocently, because she new it would irritate him.

He snorted and motioning Terry out the door backed out after him, pulling the door closed and re-locking it.

“And you say my mouth will get me into trouble” Bodie commented mildly after the footsteps had retreated beyond hearing.

“They seemed to be in a hurry, no time for idle chit chat” Colleen speculated, choosing to ignore Bodie’s comment. “My guess, is that whatever this job is their going to do will be this morning, give them about 20 minutes to get going then try for Terry. 

Bodie forbore making any comment, instead asking “So how do you plan to pull this off?”

“Make a big noise until he comes and opens the door, then take him out” Colleen replied

“As easy as that huh” Bodie asked sceptically

“Yes as easy as that. Look, Terry’s not handling things to well, I’m sure of it. He’s tense and nervous and I don’t think he’s thinking straight. I get the impression from what I saw before the blast that him and Bridgitt were close. I think I can rattle him, force him to make a stupid mistake.”

“A fairly accurate assessment, but how are you going to do that?”

“You play possum on the floor, while I make up some story about you dying and get him to come in here, then I jump him. We can wing it from there”

“That is a plan so crazy I guess it might just work”

“Well, I am just so overwhelmed that you approve, can you come up with anything better?”

 

“Probably” Bodie replied, hastily putting up his hand to forestall an outburst “But it would involve one of us having a gun”

“Is it just me, or do you enjoy pushing people’s buttons?”

“Habit I guess”

“Uhuh, Well I’ll put some time into finding a cure”

“You’re too kind” Bodie replied smiling sweetly

“Don’t mention it”

They both sat and waited for another 10 minutes, giving the terrorists plenty of time to leave.

Unable to wait any longer Colleen got up and went to the door. “Well here goes” she said giving Bodie a tight smile. Bodie undid the left cuff and moved out from the wall slightly to give himself room to lie down. Pounding as hard as she could on the solid wooden door, and praying that some of the noise she was making could be heard, Colleen also started yelling at the top of her lungs. 

“God I hope he can hear me” Colleen stopped gasping for breath “If I loose my voice for nothing I’ll be highly pissed off”

“And if I loose my hearing I’ll be very upset with you” Bodie added

Colleen decided not to comment on that and resumed her pounding and yelling. Just before she was about to give up someone pounded back and yelled for her to shut up. Colleen paused for a few seconds to see if the door was being unlocked. When she heard the key turning she glanced over at Bodie, who was now lying on the floor his back to the wall with his arms behind his back as if they were still in the cuffs. It was a good thing she was already moving away from the door, because the next second it was slammed open so hard it hit the wall and bounced almost shut again. Terry rushed in brandishing a handgun and shouting “What the bloody hell are you yelling about for Christ’s sake?” 

Colleen backed up hastily, raising her hands, as the muzzle of the gun finally settled on her midsection “Hey, careful where you point that thing will you. I was just wanting to bring to your attention the fact that the spook over there isn’t doing too well. I wasn’t sure if you wanted him dead right away or not, he could be useful as a hostage or something. Anyway I’m not sure but I think he may be having trouble breathing. Of course I’m sure you couldn’t care less, and neither could I, it’s just that I think your boss would be none to pleased if his ace in the hole went and died on him. Besides, I don’t want to be stuck down here with a corpse. It’s not my idea of fun”

Terry glared at her, trying to decide if she could be trusted or not. Colleen put on her best you-can-trust-me look and smiled sweetly at him. Eventually he must have decided that he would rather not risk the further displeasure of his boss. Carefully side-stepping over to where Bodie lay, all the while keeping his gun trained on Colleen, he nudged Bodie’s prone form with one foot and got no response. He repeated the gesture and again got not response.

“See I told you he was in a bad way. What are you going to do about it?”

“Me!”

“Yes you. You’re the one with the gun. That says you’re in charge. So take charge damit!!” Colleen yelled raising her voice and making him jump.

Alert for a queue, Bodie chose that instant to lash out with his foot catching Terry in the back of the legs, causing them to buckle. Colleen rushed forward instinct taking over, and delivered a stunning chop to the wrist of his gun hand, causing the gun to spin away across the room. As Terry fell forward she brought her knee up and caught him under the chin, snapping his head back. Terry slithered bonelessly to the floor and lay still. it was all over in seconds. Crouching over him, Colleen frantically felt for a pulse.

It was there, thank God, she hadn’t broken his neck. She’d never seriously hurt anyone before and she had been terrified that this time she’d actually killed someone.

“I’m very impressed” the comment from Bodie interrupting her train of thought. “So where did you study” there was a pause before he was answered.

“An old friend of my fathers, ex-Marine. He didn’t believe in fighting fair” Colleens voice was distant, as if she preoccupied.

“Him and Maklin would have gotten on like a house on fire”  
“Who?”

“Maklin. CI5’s resident combat expert, he doesn’t believe in fighting fair either”

Bodie noticed that Colleen was still distracted by Terry’s unconscious state. She had obviously never had to use her combat skills in a real situation before, and was somewhat appalled by the results.

“Colleen!” Bodie snapped hoping to startle her out of her funk.

Her head snapped up and she stared at him like a person woken from a dream.

“Snap out of it sweetheart, we don’t have a hell of a lot of time.” 

Colleen shook her head as if clearing cobwebs and rose to follow Bodie out the door.

“Keys, get the keys off him. Their not in the door” 

Crouching back beside Terry, Colleen made a hurried search, finding them in his left jacket pocket. “Found them” she said and tossed them to Bodie, who caught them and finding the right key unlocked the remaining cuff from his right wrist letting them fall to the ground.

Bodie looked around the room and spotted the fallen gun “The gun, get the gun” he said pointing to it. Colleen retrieved it and handed it over to Bodie who tucked it into his jacket pocket.

Taking Colleen by the hand, Bodie pushed her out the door which he pulled shut and locked behind him.  
Leading the way up the stairs, Bodie cautiously opened the door at the top and peered into the abandoned warehouse. Seeing no sign that anyone had come to investigate the disturbance, he opened the door all the way and stepped out into the silent openness, followed quickly by Colleen, their shoes scraping loudly in the heavy silence. It was relatively light inside, large areas of the roof had given way to neglect, permitting the watery sunlight to enter.

“What now?” Colleen asked, in a hushed voice.

“We go shopping” Bodie replied flashing her a quick grin and leading the way to the offices on the other side of the warehouse.

Quickly finding the office the Terrorists were using as their mess Bodie went about finding what they would need for their escape. “I’ll do this, you go outside and see if you can make out where we are and if there’s anywhere we can go from here”

Colleen hesitated, throwing him an apprehensive look. Bodie stopped what he was doing and moved to stand in front of her. Taking her by the shoulders he tilted her face so he could look into her eyes. “Look kid” he said, deliberately using the diminutive term and receiving a flash of annoyance from Colleen “you’ve done a great job so far, better than I would have expected from an untrained civilian, so don’t bug out on me now OK. We’re still in this together.

Colleen gave him a tentative smile, grateful for his moral support, her eyes widened as he bent his head and kissed her gently on the lips “For luck” he with a warm smile.

Inwardly cursing the fact that her hormones were now in a turmoil Colleen tried not to let her face show how she felt, damit what was wrong with her. Getting desperate to put some distance between his presence and her crumbling composure she hastily left the room.

Moving quickly but carefully she exited the warehouse through a small man-sized door that opened inside the giant roller doors.

Outside, in what passed for daylight in the winter, the sun was nowhere to be seen. Dull grey cloud covered the sky.

The door had been on the right-hand side of the building, Colleen turned to her right and edged closer to the corner. Inching her head around the side, she glanced carefully around. All clear in that direction, nothing but a long line of large silo’s marching outward from the side of the warehouse. This must be an abandoned brewery or something. Turning back to the left she made her way to the other corner and did the same. Clear this side too. Colleen paused for a minute deciding what she would do next. Looking out in front of her she could see nothing but open countryside for a long way, only a grey shadow in the distance that could be a city. That direction was no good, there was no cover. Making her way to the other corner of the warehouse she crept down to the other end. There might be something more promising down there.

Reaching the end of the building she again carefully inched around the corner. There past a few low sheds, and a large flat area of concrete, behind a high wire fence was a forest reserve. Perfect. It might be the obvious way to go, but it offered far more in the way of cover than the flatlands, plus there was the possibility of a ranger station or tourist hut. That could mean help or at least a means of communication. Moving at a fast run Colleen made her way back to Bodie.

At sound of heavy footfalls behind him Bodie snatched the gun from the table, spun, and brought it to bare on the entrance to the office. He was confronted by the sight of Colleen, eyes wide, backpeddling for all she was worth. Bodie lowered the gun, wincing as his rib protested it’s ill treatment, breathing out with a sigh of relief and trying unsuccessfully not to get angry. “Next time let me know it’s you for God’s sake. I could have blown your head off” he rasped from behind gritted teeth.

Colleen nodded not trusting her voice, which she was sure would have come out as a thin squeak if she had been able to make any sound at all. Making her way shakily back into the room she sat down on the nearest chair, before she fell down.

Bodie chose to ignore the state she was in and went on in a more normal tone of voice “I’ve found almost everything we’ll need, our hosts have been most generous. There’s even an army medkit, with painkillers. You’ll have to carry it though”

“Fine by me” Colleen replied

“So, did you find anything useful?”

“Yeah. We’re in an abandoned brewery or winery or something like that. Behind this place is a forest reserve. I figure that’s our best bet”

“What’s out to the front?” Bodie asked

“Nothing but flat land”

“The forest would be the most obvious place for us to go”

“True” Colleen replied “but it could mean a ranger station or tourist hut, and communications. Besides doing the obvious sometimes throws the opposition off, elementary strategy.”  
Bodie paused in thought, then looking her in the eye and giving her one of his famous grins he said “You know, I think I might just have to agree with you.”

Colleen snorted “And I can imagine just how much of a blow that was to your poor male ego”

“Now that’s unfair” Bodie said, in an injured tone.

Colleen rolled her eyes heavenward “God give me strength” she prayed “Do you happen to have packed any wire cutters in you bag of goodies?”

“Wire cutters?”

“Yeah. That reserve is behind a 15ft wire fence, with barbed wire on top, and forgive me for reminding you but you’re not in any condition to be fence climbing. So we’ll need wire cutters.”

“Well, the answer to your question is no, I haven’t packed any wire cutters. But they do have a fairly extensive tool kit over there.” Bodie replied pointing to the other side of the room.

“OK. OK I can take a hint.” Colleen sighed and went to the tool kit, after rummaging around for a couple of minutes she found what she was looking for. “These should do the trick” she said, holding up the cutters.

“Right. Put them in the pack. We’d better get moving, we have no idea when they might return, and I want to put as much distance as possible between them and us”

“I won’t argue with you on that score” Colleen replied fervently, as she stowed the cutters with the other stuff and slung the pack onto her shoulders.

They made their way to the back of the warehouse, where they paused to check out the area. Bodie spotted a small shed close to the fence line. 

“W e should make the cut behind that shed. it should conceal the damage for a while at least”

“Sounds like a good idea to me” Colleen replied

Moving out at a fast trot, which was all Bodie could manage, they made their way to the back of the shed. Removing the pack Colleen found the wire cutters and started to cut a hole in the fence, Bodie kept watch from the side of the shed.

“OK. Done” She said. Standing and pulling the wire aside Colleen motioned for Bodie to go through first, then tossing the pack to him she slipped through herself.   
After bending the wire back into place as best she could to conceal the gap, Colleen turned to Bodie “So, where to from here?” She asked

Bodie was scanning the sky “Well, skirting the reserve isn’t going to do us any good, so we go that way” he said, pointing into the forest “from there we can make a decision. I get the feeling I’ve been here before, but I can’t place it. Never mind, it’ll come to me. Stay close and try not to leave any obvious trail. That German is a mercenary and he probably has jungle training. But not to worry, so do I” That last comment followed by an enigmatic smile.

After Colleen had re-slung the pack they moved out, Bodie picking the least dense place to enter the forest.

The going was relatively easy, this wasn’t after all a true forest but a man made reserve and it was well cared for. Bodie set a pace that would not tire them but would at the same time cover allot of ground.

Despite his wound Colleen noticed that Bodie seemed to be at home in the jungle, able to pick the way of least resistance that would leave the least disturbance in their back trail. That, and his comment about having had jungle training piqued her curiosity. She hoped that she would have plenty of time later to satisfy that curiosity.

It was while she was engaged in the appreciation of the way Bodie moved that she failed to notice that he had stopped, and ran right into him.

“Sorry” she apologised reddening slightly “What’s the matter?”

Bodie didn’t answer, but stood staring into a clearing, the centre of which was occupied by a largish pool of water.

Concerned Colleen placed her hand on his shoulder, causing him to jump “What’s the matter?” she repeated.

“I thought I’d been here before, about a year ago on training manoeuvres. Maklin took a child like delight in throwing us all into that pool over there, which was bloody cold if I remember rightly. All right, I know where we are now. About 20 minutes in that direction is a rangers shed, and it has a radio.”

“This is too easy” Colleen said suspiciously “What’s the catch”

“Catch?”

“Yeah, catch. I’m waiting for you to drop the other shoe”  
“Can’t hide much from you can I. OK, I saw their vehicle pull in just before we went through the fence. I figure we’ll have about 15-20 minutes head start at the most.”

“I knew it. So they’ll be on top of us before help arrives won’t they. Well we’d better get a move on then hadn’t we.”

 

Dieter brought the Rover to a stop before the roller doors, Brian jumped out and ran to open them, pulling them shut again behind it.

“Terry!” Brian yelled, thinking it strange that the boy hadn’t come out at the sound of the Rover pulling up. He became worried when there was no reply to his second call, and glanced across at Dieter

“Check out the mess” Brian ordered, drawing his gun from it’s holster.

Dieter grabbed a sub-machine gun from the cab and sprinted towards the offices. Seconds later he came charging back, heading straight for the cellar yelling “He’s not there”.

Yanking open the top door Dieter charged down the stairs to find the cellar door locked. Cursing in German he set the machine gun for rapid fire and aiming at the lock blew it away. The noise was deafening and Brian and Mara who had been following behind, threw themselves onto the stairs as stray bullet casings flew around the confined stair well.

“For Christ’s sake you idiot stop firing, are you trying to get us all killed?” Mara yelled over the ricocheting noise of the shots.

Ignoring the others Dieter stepped back and kicked the door, square on where the lock used to be. It slammed open hitting the wall and bouncing back. Shouldering his way into the room he was confronted by Terry’s now semi-conscious form on the floor. Angrily he stalked over to Terry and grabbing him by the arm hauled him to his feet.

“Where are they?” he demanded, shaking Terry for emphasis

A muffled groan was his only reply

“Let him be Dieter” Brian ordered from outside the room “That won’t help much”

Reluctantly Dieter loosened his grip on Terry’s arm, but not before giving it one last painful squeeze.

Terry winced and straightened, swaying a little as he tried not to throw up. He flinched away from the murderous stare Dieter was directing at him and shuffled to the door, giving the angry German a wide birth. Upon reaching the steps Terry collapsed gratefully onto the bottom one and sat with his head in his hands, fighting to control his nausea.

Brian hunkered down in front of him “Tell me what happened?” he asked in a controlled voice.

Terry took a deep breath, held it for a few seconds, let it out and began his story.

“The girl started yelling and banging on the door about 10 minutes after you left. At first I just ignored it. But she wouldn’t let up, I thought maybe something was wrong. So I go down to see what’s eating her. I took the gun and I was careful about going in the room. She was standing in the middle and the spook was lying on the floor next to the wall. She started yelling at me about how she thought the spook was dying, that she thought he had stopped breathing. Dieter had done a good job on him yesterday thought maybe he hit something important, I dunno. The girl’s still screeching on about how he ain’t gonna be much use to us as a hostage dead. So I go over to see if he’s still alive, and he kicks me in the back of the legs....”

“Bloody idiot, you don’t think” grated the German “I don’t make those kind of mistakes. If I’d wanted him dead he would be dead. I did no permanent damage”

“That’s enough Dieter” Brian cut him off “Go on Terry”

“Well the bitch does me in with a karate chop or something and the last thing I remember is the floor hit’n me in the face.”

“That’s not all that will hit you in the face” Dieter threatened moving towards Terry with fists bunched

“I said that’s enough!!” Brian shouted standing in the German’s way and putting out his hand to stop him.

Dieter looked as if he might take exception to that, but Mara, who had remained silent throughout the exchange, flicked the muzzle of her gun in his direction. The message was clear, and raising his hands in surrender, Dieter backed away.

“Fighting amongst ourselves is only helping our enemy” Brian held Dieters gaze until the other looked away, then turned to look at Terry “How long ago?”

Terry looked at his watch “I can’t be sure, 10 minutes maybe”

“Ten minutes. They can’t have gotten far. Not on foot, and not with the spooks injuries” Brian gestured up the stairs “I suggest we see what they have taken, then split up and find which direction they went in.”

“So, they have Terry’s gun, and the 2 spare clips” Brian observed after they had checked the mess for missing items.

“And a medkit” Dieter added “That could make things interesting, if the spook uses the painkillers he’ll be that much more dangerous”

“Then we’ll just have to deal with that won’t we” Brian snapped. “So, we know their armed” he mused “but which way will they go?. The flatlands or the forest?” he glanced over at Dieter for an opinion.

“The forest” he replied after a short pause

“Why?” asked Mara

“Communications” the German replied “The forest means a ranger station or something like it, and possibly a radio. It’s what I’d do. Besides, the wire cutters are missing and that says the fence.”

“I think I have to agree with you” Brian said “Communication is their highest priority right now. OK, I want everyone with machine guns and radios, in 2, at the back of the warehouse. Move!”

With quick efficiency everyone gathered what they would need from the Rover and made their way to the back of the warehouse.

Brian scanned the terrain through a pair of field binoculars.

“Over there” he said, handing the binoculars over to Dieter. “That shed. That’s got to be the place”

Focusing on the indicated shed Dieter concurred

Brian waved everyone forward and they moved out at a fast trot.

Reaching the cut in the fence Dieter held it open for the others to pass through, letting it fall back into place behind him. Taking the lead he scouted along the treeline, making several passes, until he came to the spot where he thought the fugitives had entered the forest.

“Here. This I think, is where they went in. The spook is good, he’s had jungle training for sure. This could be harder than we thought.” Dieter speculated

“Then you will have to be better, wont you” Mara replied, ignoring the vicious look Dieter shot her.

“People, we don’t have time for this now. They have at least 20 minutes head start on us. I want them found and I want them dead, the girl in particular. I don’t like being played for a fool.” Brian interrupted before things could get out of hand again.

Dieter glowered at Brian, before moving off up the trail, not bothering to look back. Judging from the noise coming from behind Dieter figured that the rest of the group hadn’t had much experience moving through the forest. He didn’t have a very high opinion of terrorists but that wasn’t on moral grounds, Dieter had no morals, he just didn’t like fanatics and he didn’t believe in causes, they did however pay well and that was all he was interested in.

Moving carefully and scanning the way ahead Dieter picked out the trail of their prey, It was tough going the CI5 man was good, but having the girl along was obviously hampering him. It was, in effect her trail he was following.

 

The gloom was broken up ahead by a wan light and Colleen hoped they were close to their destination, normally a fit person the events of the past few days were now extracting their inevitable toll and she was just plain exhausted, she stopped and bent forward hand on her knees. She could tell that Bodie wasn’t in much better shape although he was doing his best to hide it from her.

As if reading her mind he stopped and turned back to her “The hut’s in that clearing up ahead”

“Thank God for that. I don’t know about you, but I’m about ready to fall over”

“Well try not to fall over until we get to the hut, I don’t think I’m up to carrying you”

“I’ll keep that in mind” Colleen replied

“Think you can make a last dash?” Bodie asked

“Try me” She replied straightening with an effort and flashing him what she hoped was a reassuring smile.

“Good. Lets go then” Bodie said, setting off as fast as possible, with Colleen not far behind

Breathing heavily they reached the front of the hut, which was of a sturdy interlocking log construction, and stopped to regain their breath.

Upon closer inspection of the door they found a small padlock holding it closed. Taking out the gun and reversing it Bodie used it to break the padlock. The door screeched noisily as Bodie pushed it open and stepped in, moving aside to allow Colleen to enter.

The it was a small hut cramped but tidy with a small window on either side of the door. Down one end was a set of bunks and at the other a long thin table on which rested a short wave radio. It was to this that Bodie went to immediately, flipping switches and turning dials almost before he could sit down. while Bodie was occupied calling for help Colleen went to investigate a tall cabinet standing opposite the door, it too was padlocked. Looking about the hut she spotted a small crowbar leaning against the wall at the foot of the bunk beds. She used this to prise off the padlock and opened the door. She was greeted by a welcome sight, there hanging in a padlocked restraint was a double barrelled shot gun with ammunition stacked in several boxes below.

“Well hello you beauty” she exclaimed appreciatively, stretching out a hand to fondle the oak stock. There was something elegant but deadly about a well made rifle, whereas she considered handgun’s to be just plain nasty A silly distinction she new, but sometimes people made silly distinctions. Using the crowbar again she carefully prised open the padlock and removed the rifle and a box of ammunition before closing the cabinet. Sitting down on the bunk bed she went about checking over the rifle and loading it, before realising that Bodie was watching her. She stopped what she was doing and raised her eyebrows at him in a silent question.

“You look fairly competent with that” he observed

“There’s no fairly about it. I’m the current Skeet and Target Champion of the Inter-University National Champ’s” she replied with no false modesty

“That is impressive”, Bodie stated seriously, “but clay pigeons and targets don’t shoot back, do you think you can handle shooting to kill, because I assure you they will have no such problems.”

“We’ll just have to see won’t we” Colleen answered an edge to her voice “Those bastards killed my parents and a lot of other innocent people, including kids. I’ll be dammed if I sit back and let them try to kill me”

Bodie nodded understanding “OK.” he replied and let the matter drop.

“So, is the cavalry coming?”

“Yes, but they won’t be here for about 10 minutes. Which is lucky because they happened to have a unit out this way”

“Well it’s something I guess, but I’d feel better if I knew we had at least a swat team on it’s way”

“Whoever they send will be more than enough to deal with the problem” Bodie replied confidently. Standing up slowly and holding his side Bodie walked over to the bunks.

“Give me a hand with those mattresses, if we lean them up in front of the windows, If nothing else they’ll stop flying glass when the fun starts.”

“You have a very warped sense of fun!” Colleen stated

“Have to in this job” Bodie grunted flashing her a smile that was more grimace then grin, as he manhandled the other end of the bottom mattress.

After finally getting the errant mattress into place and watching Bodie try to hide his pain one more time Colleen had had enough. 

“Enough of this mucho bullshit!” she snapped pinning Bodie with a fore finger on his chest and backing him into the chair in front of the radio. “Sit right there mister” She ordered, cutting across his protests.

“You are going to have one of those painkillers and there’s nothing you can do about it, because right now my wrist has the advantage over your rib if you really want to argue about it.”

Bodie opened his mouth to protest but saw the look in her eye, and deciding that retreat was the better part of valour, shut it again.

Keeping an eye on Bodie Colleen rummaged through the pack for the medkit and opened it, taking out one of the disposable syringes of painkiller.

“It’s not morphine”, she said reading the label, “and it’s a non drowsy formula, so at least I don’t have to worry about you nodding off ‘when the fun starts’ as you so wonderfully put it”

Bodie looked slightly hurt at that last comment.

Working quickly and trying not to feel queasy Colleen followed the instruction on the syringe and administered the shot. Within seconds the tightness around Bodie’s eyes caused by the constant pain faded as the drug kicked in.  
“There, you see it didn’t hurt at all” Colleen teased in the same tone one would use on a frightened child

“Very funny” Bodie replied with heavy sarcasm, standing and flexing his arm, quietly grateful for the respite in pain. “So” he said, moving down to the bunks, “now that I’m fit for duty again let’s get this other mattress in place.”

Colleen gave Bodie a sceptical look but made no comment as she followed him.

After getting the second mattress into place and jamming the door shut with a chair, they settled down to wait.

“What was her name?” Colleen asked out of the blue.

“Who?”

“The woman at the cemetery”

“Why?”

“I have to know Bodie. For Gods sake, she died because of me, and I don’t even know her name.” Colleen railed raising her voice.

Bodie looked into her eyes, the unshed tears causing them sparkle, and sighed.

“Julia. Her name was Julia, and it was not because of you that she died. It was them Colleen”, Bodie spoke vehemently stabbing the air with his finger for emphasis, “remember that! She knew the risks when she took the assignment, we all do. It’s just part of the job”

Colleen nodded, still not convinced but letting the subject drop into silence.

“What’s taking them so long” Colleen exploded shattering the silence and making Bodie jump

“Would you like me to go and ask?” he demanded

“Funny ha ha” Colleen replied hotly, then relenting “Sorry It’s just this waiting is getting to me”

“You get used to it in this line of work. If it’s any consolation, their probably out there right now deciding what their first move will be”

“Oh thank you very much, I find that very reassuring”

“No charge” Bodie replied with a smile

Colleen stuck her tongue out at him as she got up and went to the medkit. Opening it she took out one of the bandages and sat down again to re-wrap her wrist.

 

Dieter spotted the clearing ahead and slowed his pace signalling the others to stop. Creeping ahead he paused at the edge of the clearing and scanned the area. Nothing more threatening than a few birds bathing at the edge of the pool in the centre caught his attention. Moving cautiously out into the clearing, he skirted the pool, trying to pick up the trail. After 5 minutes circling he found what he was looking for, fresh scuff marks. Whistling, he motioned for the others to join him.

“This way” he said tersely and moved off, the others followed at a fast walk, no one speaking a word, all of them tense.

Dieter signalled a halt after 10 minutes of tracking through the undergrowth,. the others waiting crouched in concealment as he moved on ahead.

Leaves rustled and Dieter returned.

“What is it?” Brian asked in a hushed voice

“Another clearing, this one has a hut in the centre. That’s where they’ll be. And Brian, that hut has a radio antennae, they’ll have backup on the way, could be here any time now.” Dieter reported

“Then we’ll just have to move fast then. There’s no time for fancy planning, this is going to have to be fast and noisy”. Brian stated

“Then I have a plan” Dieter put in

“OK, lets hear it” Brian replied

“You three circle around to the back of the hut, I’ll move around to the front. Stay concealed. Give me five minutes and then open fire. You probably wont get them straight up, the hut is built of logs, but they might make a break and I’ll take them when they come out the door.”

“And what happens if they don’t make a break for it?” Mara questioned

“Then I guess we’ll have to storm the place” Dieter replied tersely

No one thought much of that prospect, their prey was armed and most certainly one of them at least would die.

Brian looked around at everybody noting their attitudes. Mara was taught with anticipation, Dieter was relaxed but alert like the trained soldier he was. Terry was just plain scared. For himself he felt no fear of death, if he died for the cause in which he believed. He reached out and clasped the younger mans shoulder, and held Terry’s gaze for a minute, until he was sure that Terry was OK.

“All right, lets move out. When we get into place we’ll give you 5 minutes” Brian said to Dieter, giving Terry’s shoulder one last squeeze before leading them out to the left, behind the hut.

 

Bodie and Colleen both hit the floor as the first bullets bit into the sturdy logs. Colleen scrambled for the door rifle still in her hand, and tried to dislodge the chair from the doorknob. The noise was unbearable, she just wanted to get out. Bodie yelled something at her, but she ignored him in her frenzy to get out. Then something large and heavy hit her in the back and she went down in a tangle of limbs.

“What the hell?” she blurted, when she managed to get a breath, turning a murderous glare on Bodie.

“Don’t be an idiot!” he yelled in her ear, “It’s a trap. They want us to go out, straight into a sniper. Stay put” he ordered as he crawled to the nearest mattress and brought it toppling down. Seeing his intent Colleen moved to the other and did the same. Then they both scrambled under the two mattresses and hoped they got out of this one alive.

 

The silver Capri shimmied into the gravel parking lot and slid sideways, both front doors popping open at the same time, Doyle and Tommy hit the ground running before the car came to a complete stop.

Both men new where they were going, the sound of muffled gunfire lending them speed.

Doyle slowed as they approached the clearing, grabbing Tommy by the jacket and pulling him to a skidding stop to prevent him from charging headlong into the line of fire.

“Have you never heard the expression Look before you leap” Doyle snapped, pain in his shoulder causing his voice to become a harsh whisper, he ignored Tommy’s glare

“If I did that I’d never do anything, besides it’s bastards like that I’ve dedicated my life to eradicating” Tommy retorted, a feral grin on his face.

Doyle chose not to voice aloud his opinion on that statement, but seeing that Tommy was not in immediate danger of rushing on ahead he turned his attention to the situation in front. 

Dusk was fast approaching, the flashes from three machine guns could clearly be seen off to their right.

“There’s only three over there, Bodie said there were four of them” Tommy pointed out.

“Yeah I know. That means one of the bastards is in front, waiting for them to come out the door so he can take them out.”

“Well then, well just have to fix things so they don’t have to come out.” Tommy said grinning maniacally and moving off in the direction of the gunfire.

“Tommy ..... Tommy!” Doyle hissed after him “Mad bastard, you’ll get us both killed” he muttered to himself before following Tommy.

They stalked quickly and quietly around back of the Terrorists, who were too preoccupied to notice until it was too late.

Tommy took out the first one in line, his shot lost in the general noise of gunfire. Doyle caught up with him. “Don’t you think we’d better take at lest some of them alive to stand trial” he suggested when Tommy showed every indication of permanently disposing of the other two as well.

“I like to think of it as saving the taxpayers money” Tommy replied innocently.

“Yeah, well I think this is one trial the taxpayer wont mind paying for. Besides I wouldn’t want to be in your shoes when you have to tell The Cow that he wont get his chance to chew on a few of them himself” Doyle observed sagely

This was enough to give even Tommy pause. “Point taken” he replied “Just call it evening up the odds a little then” he said gesturing for Doyle to precede him.

Doyle threw him a ‘Thanks awfully’ look and moved of to ambush the second shooter, while Tommy took the third.

 

As abruptly as it had started the gunfire stopped. Dieter cursed silently to himself, what the hell were they playing at. Maybe they had decided to storm the place, but they should have radioed him first. He had a feeling something had gone wrong. Maybe the spooks backup had arrived early. Incompetent by his standards his compatriots may be, but they weren’t that incompetent. Dieter decided that now was probably a good time to move out, if the other three had been taken down then he wouldn’t be far behind if he didn’t find somewhere else to hide. 

He had no loyalty per se’ to the others, but he couldn’t expect to be paid the rest of his money if they were all dead or in custody. So he would have to hang around and wait for an opportunity to present itself for a rescue attempt, or even a chance to take one of the CI5 men down. It wouldn’t make up for the loss of the money, but it would make him feel better.

 

The silence was deafening, at first Colleen couldn’t believe the gunfire had stopped the echo’s were still reverberating in her ears. She became aware of a stinging pain in her cheek. Raising her hand to her face she felt a warm wetness, her hand came away bloody. A glass or wood chip must have cut her face. If this was the worst she came out of this whole thing with then she would thank God, even if she wasn’t religious.

Bodie felt Colleen moving, and smelt the iron tang of blood. “You’re not hit are you? I can smell blood” he asked concern colouring his voice

“I’m fine Dracula. Just a scratch, flying debris” she returned “Can we come out now?”

“No, we don’t know why they’ve stopped firing. We wait until we get an all clear from the backup.”

“But what if they decide to storm the place?” Colleen demanded

“Then we deal with that when it happens” he answered  
Bringing the rifle close she cradled it in her arms “Then I’ll be ready for them if they do” she stated coldly.

 

Doyle approached the hut from the rear with caution, Tommy a few paces behind watching his back. When he reached the wall he edged up to the corner and quickly ducked his head around for a look. “Can’t see anyone” he said to Tommy “but he’s out there somewhere, and Bodie said one of them was a merc’. I’ll just bet that with my luck that’s him out there, and he’s a sniper”

“I don’t bet on sure things” Tommy replied with a grin.

Ignoring the comment Doyle edged slowly around the corner gun braced in front and senses alert for movement in the bushes around the edge

Reaching the front of the hut, careful to avoid the shattered glass, Doyle peered into one of the windows “Bodie ... Bodie” he called in a loud whisper.  
Someone emerged from beneath the pile of mattresses, Colleen followed by Bodie, both looking the worse for wear.

“Are you two OK?” Doyle asked

“Better now that you’re here. What took you so long you old bastard” came Bodie’s laconic reply

“You know how it is, the traffic these days is a pain in the ass” Doyle replied acknowledging Bodie’s welcome.

Colleen just stared at him, as if she wasn’t sure he was real or not.

Turning back to Tommy he pointed to the bush in front of the hut “Take a look over there, see if there’s any sign of our friend the mercenary, I don’t like not knowing where he is”

Tommy nodded and left. Doyle heard movement from inside the hut, then the door opened cautiously and Bodie stepped outside followed closely by Colleen. He noticed Bodie was moving slowly with a slightly hunched look “What’s wrong with you” he asked

“Cracked rib. Bodie answered with a grin “Guess I’ll be getting some time off”

“You’ll be lucky, Cowley’s just going to lock you in the basement to finish your paperwork” Doyle noted trying to keep a straight face, in light of Bodie’s pained look.

Colleen hung back, suddenly unable to face Doyle or Bodie. She was just now realising what Doyle’s death could have done to Bodie, for despite the seeming inconsequence of their conversation it was what was not being said that spoke volumes about how much these men meant to each other. She had been to blinded by her own grief to notice it before, and Bodie was very good at hiding his feelings. A shadow fell across the ground at her feet, where she had been keeping her eyes hoping that nobody would notice her. A hand reached out and gently lifted her head, until she found herself looking into Doyle’s eyes. To her eternal relief she found no blame or rancour there.

“No hard feelings” Doyle stated wiping tears from her eyes

Not being able to find any words she was about to drop the rifle and hug him when she spotted movement out of the corner of her eye. Reacting on instinct, that she was not aware she had, Colleen pushed Doyle away ignoring the look of hurt suprise on his face. Bringing up the rifle she fired from the hip, seconds later a hot searing pain tore through her shoulder and she was lifted off her feet and carried backwards, to shocked even to cry out

Bodie saw Doyle fall sideways, and Colleen bring the rifle to bear on something behind him, spinning and dropping to the ground at the same time he brought up his own gun and fired at the shape that had risen from behind some bushes. There was an audible crack as he hit the ground and the sharp twinge of pain turned into a searing wave that crashed over him as the cracked rib turned into a broken rib. He heard Doyle calling out Colleen’s name, ‘God no, not Colleen’ was his last thought before blackness took him.

Doyle watched helplessly as Colleen’s body was jerked of it’s feet and carried in that familiar terrible arc, to land bonelessly in a heap a few feet away, her name torn from his throat.

Scrambling over to her side he found a dark red stain expanding rapidly on her shoulder. Stripping off his jacket he wadded it up and placed it over the wound, applying pressure in an attempt to staunch the flow of blood. This elicited a moan from Colleen and her eyes fluttered open “Poetic justice” she said, her voice weak, “Guess someone up there is trying to tell me something” she smiled up at him, before her eyes rolled backwards and she lost consciousness.

Running footsteps behind him caused him to swivel with his gun drawn, only to confront Tommy sliding to a stop hands up. Lowering the gun and slipping the safety he asked “What about the sniper?”

“Dead” Tommy replied, “She’s a good shot” came the matter of fact observation.

Doyle grunted and taking out his R/T called for an ambulance and a coroners wagon.

“Check on Bodie” he said turning and reapplying pressure to Colleen’s shoulder

“He’s out cold”, Tommy called back, “don’t know what’s wrong with him, but he’s breathing fine”

They both turned at the distant sound of wailing sirens, back up at last.

 

Colleen woke slowly, becoming aware of a dull throb and the smell of antiseptic. It was becoming a distressingly bad habit , waking up in strange places, but at least this time she was warm. She opened her eyes, blinking the sleep out of them. How long had she been out. The blurred shape in front of her sharpened into Bodie’s smiling face, she smiled back. Her smile faded when she noticed he was sitting in a wheelchair, in hospital clothes, with one arm in a sling.

“It’s not as bad as it looks” he said, noticing the concern in her eyes.

Someone cleared their throat on the other side of the bed, it was then she became aware of the hand holding hers. Turning her head she saw it was George Cowley, a look of thinly disguised concern on his face.

“Uncle George. What are you doing here? Where am I?” she asked groggily. Gods was she full of stupid questions today, but there seemed to be some events missing in her memory somewhere.

“You are in hospital” he replied coldly, “for being an idiot”

Colleen’s jaw dropped.

“And I am here” he continued, throwing Bodie a speaking look, “to see that you get some much needed rest, and to protect you from the tender mercies of one Mr Bodie, whom I regret is one of my better men which makes it harder to justify firing him.”

Colleen removed her hand from his, anger burning away the fog in her brain.

“Uncle George! I don’t require any protection from anyone’s tender mercies, least of all Bodie’s. What I do in my personal life is none of your damn business, and I’ll have you know that Bodie acted like a perfect gentleman despite attempts on my part to encourage otherwise”

Bodie, who had been trying to make himself as inconspicuous as possible, had to work extremely hard to keep his jaw from dropping. Never in his entire carrier , how ever short that now may be, had he ever heard anyone talk to Cowley in that fashion. Then he groaned silently to himself and put his head in his hands. If Colleen wanted to get rid of him by slow execution then she was going about it the right way. Cowley would definitely have him roasted alive now.

He raised his head at the sound of a door closing. Cowley had left the room, Colleen was looking at the closed door with an unreadable expression on her face “He had no right to speak to me that way.”

Bodie moved the wheelchair closer and took her hand “Don’t take it personally, he’s just relieved you’re still alive and in one piece.”

“Well he’s got a funny way of showing it” Colleen disagreed

“It’s just his way. Take it from someone who knows. The grouchier he gets the more concerned he is” Bodie replied.

They were interrupted by the door opening, Doyle stuck his head around and grinned at them “So which one of you hit Cowley with the crow bar.” he asked entering the room and closing the door behind him. “He looks like a bear with a sore head”

“She,” Bodie replied, pointing for emphasis “just let the cat out of the bag, then told him to mind his own business”

Doyle looked from one to the other, Bodie’s mournful expression and Colleen’s indignant one, and burst out laughing “I’m suprised he hasn’t lined you up in front of a firing squad yet” he observed, still chuckling

“Thanks allot for the moral support” Bodie returned sarcastically

“No charge”. replied Doyle glancing over at Colleen. He’d been about to make a comment when he noticed that Colleen had gone pale and started trembling.

Bodie shot Doyle a concerned look, “Colleen? What’s wrong?” he questioned squeezing her hand to get her attention.

“The German” she questioned shakily “I shot him. Is he dead?”

Doyle shot Bodie a ‘what do we do now’ look, Bodie shrugged.

Colleen caught the exchange and was not happy about it “Answer me damit!” she demanded raising her voice.

“Yes. He was DOA at the hospital” Bodie stated quietly

Colleen closed her eyes, tears streamed down her face as she whispered hoarsely “Oh God I killed someone. Why me?”

“Because if you hadn’t, he would have killed me” Doyle said forcefully

“But that doesn’t make it right” Colleen sobbed

“If you say so” Bodie answered flatly, “But remember this, he would not be feeling any guilt or remorse after killing Doyle, or you.”

“Is that supposed to make me feel better?” she asked, her voice dripping sarcasm  
‘No. But you’ll have to learn to deal with it and move on. It might not seem like it now, but you will.”

“And I for one am very grateful you acted the way you did” Doyle broke in, “Think of that if it helps”

“I’m here if you need a shoulder to lean on” Bodie said, bringing her hand to his lips, and brushing a kiss on the palm of her hand.

“Don’t mind me” Doyle interjected ”I’ll leave you two lovebirds alone”.

As he turned to leave he paused as Colleen called out “Doyle” when he had turned back to face her she caught and held his gaze “I’m glad I didn’t miss” she said, putting all the sincerity into her voice she could muster.

“Me too” he replied, smiling his understanding.

“I’m glad you didn’t miss too” Bodie stated after Doyle had left the room

“I know how much he means to you” Colleen observed, placing her hand on his cheek.

“And now thanks to this”, Bodie said gingerly touching his bandaged torso, “I have some time to find out what you mean to me. Sylvia was in a while ago, she has offered us the use of the cottage to recuperate. What do you say to that.”.

Colleen’s face broke out in a large smile at the prospect.

 

The End


End file.
